‘Same Day’ Emergency Dental Care

Dental emergencies can be an anxiety-driven experience, especially when front teeth are involved. There is often pain involved when a tooth is knocked out, but much of the anxiety is due to concerns that a tooth will be permanently lost or cracked. It is important during a dental emergency to keep a cool head and take the proper steps to save the tooth, while at the same time, acting as quickly as possible to get to the dentist.

In the case of a broken or chipped tooth, if the remainder of the tooth is firmly in place, usually the damaged area can be repaired with a crown or dental bonding. But if a tooth is broken and loose or if a tooth is completely knocked out, getting to the dentist within about an hour is essential in order for it to be reattached. If it can’t be reattached, it can be replaced with a denture, bridge or implant.

When a tooth is knocked out, gently pick up the tooth by the crown; try not to touch the roots. Put the tooth in a container of milk, or water if milk is not available. Take care of your mouth by applying pressure to stop any bleeding. You can try to position the tooth back in your mouth if this is not too painful, but be very careful of handling the tooth. If you can’t get the tooth back into the socket or don’t want to try this, leave it in the milk or water and get to the dentist as soon as possible.

Any serious mouth injury that involves the teeth could be a medical emergency if there is damage to the face, head or other parts of the body. Your teeth can wait if serious injury threatens your overall health or your life. Seek medical treatment immediately in the case of head or face injuries.

Toothache is usually not an emergency, unless it is sudden, sharp pain rather than a dull ache. The dull, aching type of toothache usually means that you need to see a dentist, but you can make a regular appointment and ease the pain with over the counter medications for a day or two in the meantime. A sharp or sudden pain in your teeth could indicate that something is caught between your teeth or something has happened inside of your mouth that needs to be treated right away.

Sometimes lines in your teeth may look like cracks, but they actually aren’t. It is normal to get craze lines, light lines on the surface of the teeth. Craze lines usually appear gradually and are a cosmetic issue. If you see what looks like a true crack appear, call the dentist.

If you have a dental emergency or ever have any concerns about your teeth or your oral health, call Smiles Depot in Lodi for an appointment with Dr. Nokrashy.