Dental Emergencies

How do you know whether you should book an appointment to see an emergency dentist? Experiencing oral pain is common, but it can also be easy to downplay any pain you are experiencing.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help determine if you can wait until your next dental appointment or need to book an emergency dentist right away.

• Am I experiencing severe pain? If the pain in your mouth is keeping you from doing everyday tasks, that may be a sign that something is wrong.
• Is there bleeding? Excess bleeding is a potential sign of an emergency. Get in touch with us and we’ll walk you through any next steps.
• Have I lost a tooth? Time is of the essence when you’ve lost a tooth and you should see an emergency dentist right away.
• Are any of my teeth loose? You shouldn’t be losing teeth in adulthood. Even if you aren’t experiencing pain, a loose tooth in your mouth indicates a problem that requires attention.
• Are there any abnormalities in my mouth? If you notice any bumps or pus in your mouth when you look in the mirror, it could be an abscess or serious infection. Don’t wait to seek emergency dental treatment.

Still not sure if what you’re experiencing warrants an emergency dentist visit? You are also welcome to contact us with any questions about your situation.

At Flagship Dental, we handle any emergency dental situation with the utmost care. Here are some of the most common dental emergencies we treat.

An abscess is a tender mass of flesh that can develop along your gum line. You can often easily feel an abscess by touching it. Abscesses can also surface on other areas of your body.

The majority of abscesses are caused by infections that occur as a result of poor oral hygiene or gum disease. Oral infections don’t stay put either – they can spread throughout the body if it isn’t treated promptly, so don’t be afraid to see an emergency dentist to treat an abscess.

Anyone who plays contact sports knows that mouth injuries can happen while you’re playing. If you get hit in the mouth or fall on your face, it can cause bleeding and severe pain. If you notice bleeding from a mouth injury, see an emergency dentist immediately.

Losing a filling or crown isn’t fun and can be a downright painful experience. We can help insert replacement fillings and ensure that your teeth are protected from future damage.

While you can crack or break your teeth from mouth injuries, like mentioned above, it can also occur from biting down on hard food or candy. If you have a cracked or broken tooth, make an appointment to see an emergency dentist and save any pieces of teeth you can find.

The tooth fairy shouldn’t be paying you any visits in adulthood. Your teeth can loosen as a result of tooth decay or gum disease, or it may be clinging on for dear life in the wake of an injury. Your emergency dentist may be able to stabilize a loose tooth so it doesn’t need to be extracted.

If your teeth have left your mouth, it is a dental emergency. Teeth can be knocked out if you experience a hard hit to the face or if your jaw has made impact with a hard object. If you’re able to salvage knocked out teeth and see an emergency dentist immediately, knocked out teeth may be able to be reinserted.

Is a tooth causing you so much pain that you can’t think straight? Severe toothaches can be caused by a variety of issues: cavities, losing a filling, gum disease, or inflammation. Your emergency dentist can help identify the cause of your pain and give you relief.

So you’ve booked an emergency dentist visit with us– what should you do next? Your main priority before you come in for an appointment is to reduce pain, swelling, or bleeding with items you have on hand.

Before you come in to see your emergency dentist, make sure to:

• Identify any chipped or cracked teeth
• Hang on to any teeth that have been knocked out
• Reduce pain and swelling with a cold compress or by taking pain medication
• Continue to monitor your symptoms and the level of pain you’re experiencing

Still not sure if what you’re experiencing warrants an emergency dentist visit? You are also welcome to contact us with any questions about your situation.

Experiencing mouth or tooth pain? Take a cool, wet washcloth or ice pack and hold it against the side of your face. It will help alleviate any swelling and provide relief. You can also rinse your mouth with warm salt water to clean a wound, alleviate pain, and prevent infection. As you make your way to your emergency dentist appointment, you can take an over-the-counter pain medication like Tylenol.

If you haven’t already done so, attempt to find any pieces of a broken tooth and hold on them. Your emergency dentist may be able to reattach or restore chipped teeth.

If you have teeth that have completely been knocked out, it is important that you do not touch the root. If you are able to, clean the tooth by rinsing it (don’t scrub it) and place it back into its socket. Then, grab a clean, sterile piece of gauze, place it over the tooth, and bite down on it to hold the tooth in its place as you head out to see one of our emergency dentists.

Remember that time is of the essence when dealing with a broken tooth. Book an appointment to see an emergency dentist right away.

Our accomplished team of dental professionals are happy to assist patients with urgent dental emergencies after hours. If you have a true emergency outside of business hours, an additional emergency phone number will be available when you call our office. Alternatively, you can visit the nearest emergency dental clinic near you.

We cannot stress the importance of oral hygiene enough. Regular flossing and brushing will dramatically reduce the chances of you coming in for an emergency dental visit.

If you regularly play sports, wearing gear like a mouth guard will minimize damage to your teeth and protect them from injury.

In an emergency situation where you cannot wait until your next dental visit, you may be wondering whether you should book an emergency dentist appointment or head straight to a hospital.

Any life-threatening injuries require immediate attention from a healthcare professional. If you have a broken jaw or uncontrollable bleeding, call 911 or head to the emergency room immediately.