When to Call an Emergency Dentist

If you are experiencing oral pain, an emergency dentist visit may be in order. There are certain types of pain that you should be on the watch for as they may signify a larger oral health issue. If your teeth have gone from being mildly sensitive to painful, making it difficult to eat, schedule an appointment right away. Simultaneously if your dental pain is accompanied by a fever or other flu-like symptoms, you should be seen immediately.

Cavities start out small and may cause minor discomfort. Eating something hard like party nuts or hard candy may cause temporary pain as the object touches the tooth and the cavity. Simultaneously, extreme temperatures may cause discomfort. If this is the case, schedule your routine dental exam to have your teeth inspected, and if a cavity is found, the dentist will treat it.

Unfortunately, many people don't schedule a dental exam at the first sign of discomfort, choosing instead to ignore the problem. This is dangerous because when a cavity is left untreated, the infection can spread into the gums and even into the jawbone. When this happens, the infection can turn into a dental abscess which is incredibly painful and lead to an emergency dentist appointment. In order to treat the infection, a dental professional has to drain the abscess and let the infected puss leak out, then the infection has to be removed, and the area treated. If the infection has spread to the lower part of the mouth or neck, this must be done surgically. It is much better to simply schedule an appointment at the first sign of oral discomfort.

An emergency dentist may also be needed if you injure your tooth in an accident. With millions of car wrecks, slip and fall accidents, workplace injuries, and sports injuries happening on an annual basis, it isn't a matter of if your tooth will become injured during your lifetime, but when. By visiting the dentist immediately, we can work to save your damaged tooth. This is an important, preventative measure, as saving your tooth is ultimately better for your health than having to pull it out. We can do this by using a variety of dental procedures including dental veneers and dental crowns. The key is to be seen as quickly as possible.

Traditionally, dentists keep limited hours which make it difficult for patients to get the help they need in the evenings and weekends. This leads many people to go to the emergency room where the doctors are not equipped with the training or tools to treat a damaged tooth. As an emergency dentist, we make it easy for our patients to receive the care that they need. If your tooth is injured outside of our normal business hours, call the office and leave a message. We will return your call as quickly as possible and schedule an appointment for a dental exam and treatment. We take the health of our patients very seriously and will do whatever we can to take care of your situation quickly.