Putting The Smile Back On Your Face Quickly & Comfortably
Emergencies can strike at any time, and even if you brush and floss daily and take every precaution, you may still end up experiencing a dental emergency. Luckily for Duncanville dental patients, the Glow Family Dental team is here to help whenever you need us most – even during dental emergencies. In many cases, your emergency dentist in Duncanville can fit you in for an urgent care appointment on the same day you contact us. The sooner we get to work repairing your damaged smile the better, so our team will fit you in as soon as possible. Don’t put off dental care during an emergency. Instead, call our Duncanville dental office right away. We’ll walk you through at-home care and schedule an appointment for you to come in to see us right away.
How To Handle Common Dental Emergencies
One of our knowledgeable dental team members will be happy to talk you through first aid on the phone to protect your oral health until your reach our dental office, and you can find some basic care tips below for the dental emergencies we treat most often. If you’re ever concerned that your dental emergency is life threatening, proceed to the nearest emergency room or call emergency services. Give our dental office a call, and we’ll be happy to partner with your physicians to ensure your health and safety.
Toothaches
If you have a toothache, it can be an indicator of a number of oral health issues, including cavities, root canal infection, and cracked teeth. You can maintain comfort until you reach our office by taking oral pain medications as directed. Some people experience improved comfort by applying topical numbing medications, but do not use these products in areas with open wounds. If possible, avoid eating until after you visit our dental office. If you do need to eat a meal, avoid chewing with the injured part of the mouth. You should brush and floss your teeth as usual but take special care to be gentle when cleaning around the tooth that hurts.
Chipped/Broken Tooth
Chipped or broken teeth can often be repaired, but you’ll need to take some steps to avoid additional damage and protect the remaining dental structures until you reach our office. Begin by cleaning out your mouth with cool water. If the damaged tooth is bleeding, bite down on gauze or clean cloth to apply pressure and absorb blood flow. If bleeding continues, use an ice pack or cold compress. Once bleeding has stopped, you can use orthodontic wax to cover any sharp parts of the damaged tooth in order to protect surrounding teeth and soft tissue from additional injury. If possible, avoid eating until after you visit our dental office. If you do need to eat a meal, avoid chewing with the injured part of the mouth. You should brush and floss your teeth as usual but take special care to be gentle when cleaning around the tooth that’s damaged. If you’re experiencing discomfort, follow the directions for toothache above.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Following the loss of a tooth, take a few moments to examine the vacated socket. Clean out your mouth with cool water. Don’t brush or scrub the area. Just swish water in your mouth. Collect the knocked-out tooth, and if possible, replace it in the socket. Bite down on gauze to hold the tooth in place. If you’re unable to replace the tooth, bite down on gauze to slow bleeding and store the tooth in a container of water or milk until you reach our office. If possible, avoid eating until after you visit our dental office. If you do need to eat a meal, avoid chewing with the injured part of the mouth. You should brush and floss your teeth as usual but take special care to be gentle when cleaning around the damaged area. To handle pain, follow the directions for toothache above.
Lost Filling or Dental Crown
If you’ve lost a filling, follow the directions for chipped and broken teeth above. If a dental crown has been knocked out, retrieve the restoration and try to replace it over your tooth. You can use a small amount of toothpaste or denture adhesive to hold the dental crown in place until you reach our office. If possible, avoid eating until after you visit our dental office. If you do need to eat a meal, avoid chewing with the injured part of the mouth. You should brush and floss your teeth as usual but take special care to be gentle when cleaning around the damaged tooth. If you’re in pain, follow the directions for toothaches above.
How To Prevent Dental Emergencies
Not all dental emergencies can be prevented, but there are some steps you can take to reduce your risk for emergency, including:
- Take care of your smile at home – Brush teeth two minutes at a time twice a day, floss daily, and visit our dental office twice a year.
- Protect teeth – use mouthguards to protect teeth from nighttime grinding and clenching and wear sportsguards to protect your smile during athletic events and practices.
- Kick bad habits – don’t use teeth to open packages or crack nuts and avoid chewing on ice, fingernails, and other hard objects.
The Cost Of Treating Dental Emergencies
Your emergency dentistry service will vary in price depending on the severity of the damage to your smile and the complexity of your restorative dentistry plan. During your emergency appointment, we’ll review your treatment options, explain pricing, and partner with you to create a restoration plan that meets your needs and fits your budget. Our team is also happy to process and file dental insurance claims and work with financiers to offer low and no interest payment plans.
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
Are you still worried about facing a dental emergency? When the unexpected happens, it can be hard to react calmly and quickly, but being prepared is a valuable asset when time is of the essence. There’s no need to stress, because we’ve collected some questions that we commonly hear from patients and have provided professional responses to so you can feel well-prepared.
What is considered a dental emergency?
Many patients panic over deciding whether a problem is serious enough to visit your emergency dentist in Duncanville in the first place for. Although you may feel embarrassed if you overreact, leaving severe damage untreated can have harmful effects on your oral health. So, we’ve provided you with some questions below—if you answer “yes” to any of them, be sure to contact us right away.
- Are you in severe pain or bleeding excessively?
- Have you lost a tooth?
- Have you damaged a tooth or have a loose tooth?
- Do your gums appear swollen, irritated, or red?
- Is your face swelling? Is this accompanied by oral discomfort or pain?
What should I do if I have an emergency outside of office hours?
At Glow Family Dental, we are open Monday through Thursday, so what should you do if you have a weekend emergency? No matter when your accident happens, be sure to give us a call first and leave us a message. If you’re dealing with a problem that may be able to wait a day or two, like a damaged crown, you can request an appointment on our website. Our team checks messages first thing each morning, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
When should I visit the ER first?
At Glow Family Dental, we make our patients a priority and provide fast and effective emergency care. Sometimes, your emergency dentist in Duncanville, Dr. Martinez, can’t handle every situation, though. If you require medical attention before we can restore your mouth, it’s best to visit your local emergency room and then follow back up with us after. Be sure to seek medical attention if you are experiencing:
- Bleeding that won’t stop after applying pressure for at least 15 minutes.
- Cuts or wounds on your face that could need stitches.
- Jaw pain that points towards a fracture or dislocation.
- Swelling or a severe toothache and you aren’t able to make it to our office in a timely manner.
Can a damaged tooth get better on its own?
Most of the time, patients put off getting treatment because they think that your mouth can fix itself. Usually, this isn’t the case. If your teeth are healthy and in good condition, then you wouldn’t be experiencing any pain or discomfort. For example, if you get a toothache, your body is giving you a sign that something is wrong, and you should contact us immediately. Infections can quickly progress and spread throughout your body, putting your overall health in just as much trouble as your mouth.
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