No one ever plans on experiencing a dental emergency, but it will happen to at least 1 in 6 Americans this year. If you happen to be in this unlucky group, know that all you need to do to get help is call Long Creek Dental. Dr. Langston has decades of experience handling all types of urgent dental situations, and our practice can schedule same-day appointments so patients in pain can get what they need right away.
While you should always give our office a call if you even think you’re experiencing a dental emergency, there are a few things you can do at home before you’re able to make it to our office. The tips below cover some of the most common problems we see and will help you relieve pain and prevent further damage to your teeth.
Rinse and floss around the tooth thoroughly, and if the pain continues, take an OTC medication. If you have an infection that has reached the interior of your tooth, the pain will probably be quite severe, but we can take care of it right away with root canal therapy.
Put any pieces of the tooth you can find in a safe container and remember to bring them to our office. If the remaining tooth has a jagged edge, you can cover it with some sugarless gum to prevent it from injuring the lips or cheeks. While we can repair most broken teeth, in some cases, we may need to extract them.
It is possible to put a knocked-out tooth back into place, but to give us the best chance of success, you should try to come see us within an hour or so of the accident. The tooth needs to stay wet to keep it alive, so either store it under your tongue or in a container with milk or saltwater.
While this type of problem might not cause any pain initially, it can lead to an infection if ignored, so it’s best to come see us relatively soon for a repair. Before then, try to place the restoration back onto the tooth, using some toothpaste to help secure it if needed.
A little prevention can go a long way in helping you avoid a dental emergency. You can keep yourself safe by:
The cost of your emergency treatment will largely depend on the type and extent of your injury and what kind of procedure is needed to address it. Before we provide any care, we will go over your options and discuss how we can use your dental insurance and financing to help make everything affordable. It’s best to come see us immediately in the case of a dental emergency so we can treat a problem before it becomes more complicated and requires a more expensive procedure.