DENTAL EMERGENCY? DON’T GO TO THE HOSPITAL

A dental emergency is any dental problem that is causing you pain or discomfort and needs to be addressed immediately. If you experience any of the following, you should call 911 or go to the emergency room:

What is an emergency?

An emergency is any situation that requires immediate medical attention, such as severe oral trauma, painful toothaches, or swelling. If you experience any of these situations, contact your dentist immediately to schedule an appointment. Dental emergencies can be very serious and should not be taken lightly.

How to know if you need to see a dentist immediately?

While all dentists are qualified to handle emergencies, some hospitals have on-call dentists available to treat patients with tooth issues when the need arises. With more than 100,000 dental offices in the U.S. alone - chances are there’s a dentist nearby who can treat your emergency.

Emergency situations include:

• Sudden and severe toothache pain that radiates to other areas of the face or head.
• A knocked-out tooth.
• Facial swelling that causes breathing difficulties or causes pain or sensitivity to touch.
• Inability to open your mouth all the way due to severe pain.
• Broken braces, wires, or brackets.
• Bitten tongue or lip.
• Canker sores that are painful.
• Teeth that are chipped or broken.
• Severely loose adult teeth.

When should I go to the hospital?

We typically suggest patients seek care at an emergency facility if they have had severe trauma, have sustained serious facial injuries, or have uncontrolled bleeding that can’t be controlled by rinsing with salt water and using gauze. But if you have a tooth that is knocked out in an accident or falls out on its own, we encourage you to give us a call right away! Our emergency dentists are equipped to help you save your tooth and restore it back to health—we can even save teeth that have been completely dislodged from the socket! These situations require immediate care to prevent infection, so don’t wait until it’s too late to take action! We’re able to restore your smile, so it looks and functions just like it used to before the accident happened. With a tooth replacement like a crown or bridge, you’ll regain your beautiful smile in no time! 

Note: You will need an X-ray to determine the status of your tooth after it’s been dislodged or the extent that it has been damaged. X-rays may be taken by your dentist at the clinic, but more comprehensive images will be taken at the hospital’s imaging center. If the dentist determines you need a root canal treatment, don’t panic--this procedure will be much more comfortable than you would expect! Root canal therapy is a straightforward procedure in which we clean and disinfects the infected area, then fill and seal it with a natural-looking material. This procedure is very important for keeping the rest of your mouth healthy and preventing the spread of infection. The goal is to save your natural tooth and prevent the need for extractions in the future. If you have any questions about this procedure, please don’t hesitate to ask! Call us today to learn more.