Dental Emergency

Any injury to your teeth or gums can be potentially serious and should not be ignored. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk of permanent damage, as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment down the road.  Please give us a call and we can help you momentarily alleviate your dental discomforts.

 Toothache

Whether caused by tooth decay, infections or jaw problems, tooth pain can range from a dull throb to extreme and persistent pain. Do not ignore the dental pain, as this could lead to many serious complications. Continuous, excruciating pain qualifies as an emergency. Try Tylenol or Advil to alleviate the pain for a few hours. Please use as directed by the manufacturer.

Abscess

An abscess is an infection that occurs around the root of a tooth or in the space between the teeth and gums. Abscesses are a serious condition that can damage tissue and surrounding teeth. The infection can also potentially become serious and spread to other parts of the body if left untreated. To ease the pain and clear the infection anti-inflammatory drugs and probably antibiotics can be prescribed to you by visiting one of our doctors after an assessment.
A broken tooth

The prognosis can range from mild to severe so you should see your dentist immediately. Broken teeth can hurt very badly or not at all. Prompt treatment will usually avoid serious complications, and even losing the tooth. Often times the nerve of your tooth can be exposed and very painful.

Loss of dental crown or tooth filling

It’s important to see a dentist as quickly as possible if you’ve lost a crown or filling. Sometimes a temporary restoration can be placed in the interim while you are waiting for your reserved appointment for either a crown or a new filling to be placed. An appointment to assess the broken tooth is always required before work can be done. We recommend seeing us within a day or two or sooner if the crown or filling has left a jagged edge that may bother your tongue or gums.

Knocked out or extruded (partially dislodged) tooth

Visit us immediately in the case of a knocked out tooth. Do not handle the tooth unnecessarily. Hold it by the crown and rinse it with water if it’s dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. Try to reinsert the tooth back into the empty socket making sure it’s facing the right way. Never force it into the socket. If you can’t get the tooth back into place, hold it between your lips and teeth. If you can’t then place it into a container filled with milk (or water if milk is not available) until your visit. Knocked out teeth with the highest chances of being saved are those seen by the dentist and returned to their socket within 1 hour of being knocked out.

Acute jaw injury

Your jaw may be broken, fractured or you might have dislocated it if you are unable to move your jaw, or if it hurts when you are closing your mouth normally. You need to go to the closest emergency room and contact your dentist as well, as your bite can be permanently altered.

Mouth sores can be caused from simple pizza burns to bacterial or viral infections. Generally, a prompt visit to the dentist with some follow up will help to solve the problem.

Broken dentures, plate or bridge do not attempt to glue any of these appliances together. See your dentist and bring all of the pieces with you.

Injury to the Gums, Tongue, Cheeks and Lips that result in Bleeding

Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution. Use a moistened piece of gauze or tea bag to apply pressure to the bleeding site. Hold in place for 15 to 20 minutes. To both control bleeding and relieve pain, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, see your dentist right away or go to a hospital emergency room. Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be seen and treated.

The information above is offered as information only and not as professional advice. Please consult our dental professionals for such advice.

Our goal is to help you minimize the risk of emergency treatment. Regular examinations help us keep your mouth healthy and your smile beautiful. These examinations reveal tooth decay, periodontal disease, and any other problems. This is why we commit a generous amount of time designing a long term plan that will help you to offset the possibility of unforeseen pain or tooth breakage.