How to Know You’re Ready For an Emergency Dental Appointment

Your tooth is hurting…but does that actually qualify as a dental emergency?

We know that discomfort is easy to identify, but knowing whether you need to make an appointment after office hours isn’t always as easy. Many of our patients try to simply ignore their pain, thinking it will go away on its own, or assume that they may need to visit the emergency room. Unfortunately, waiting can result in a more expensive bill, not to mention sitting in a hospital emergency room will give you hours of needless suffering.

How quickly you respond to a dental emergency can make the difference between saving a tooth or losing it. To help you, we’ve decided to share our tips on what counts as an emergency dentistry and how you should respond.

When do you know you need emergency dentistry?

Here are some common situations that qualify as emergency dental situations.

• Severe tooth pain
• Tooth damage
• Tissue bleeding
• A knocked-out tooth as a result of a facial injury or accident
• A loose tooth or one that is out of alignment
• A chipped, cracked, or fractured tooth (this usually means that there’s been some damage to the inside of the tooth as well)
• Tissue injury and facial pain

As a general rule of thumb it is a good idea to consult a dental professional for pain management of if you have persistent pain. You might be suffering from one of the following conditions:

What to do in a dental emergency?

If per chance you cannot get to a dentist right away, there are certain things you can do to protect your smile as you wait for treatment.

Knocked out teeth: Avoid touching the roots and keep the tooth clean and hydrated in a saline solution or glass of milk. This will reduce the chances of you having to replace your original tooth with a false one.

Food or objects stuck between your teeth: Try to remove any unwanted particles with floss or mouthwash. To avoid injuring your soft tissues, never use a sharp object around your gums.

Cracked or damaged fillings: You will feel extreme dental pain, but in some cases, you may be able to reattach the restoration temporarily using dental adhesive and may be able to calm the pain with over the counter medications like Orajel.

Contact Us

If you would like to learn more, please do not hesitate to give us a call or contact us to book an appointment.