border_lft_03
(408) 720-0900   •   (877) 9 Dental 25x25

Nasser Antonious, DDS, MAGD, FICOI
Master of the Academy of General Dentistry
Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists

border_rgt_05
Dental Emergency Treatment Sunnyvale, CA 94087
images_espanolbutton_03
contentborder_top_03
contentborder_left_05
     
   
back to Previous Page  

Emergency Dentistry

 
 

 Introduction

In an ideal world, we should all know exactly what steps to take if we or a member of our family requires emergency dental treatment. In the same way that we know who to call when the car breaks down or when to call an ambulance, we should also know what steps we need to take when we need to contact a dentist out of hours.

After all, our teeth are important. When you lose a tooth, it will not grow back. So damage to your teeth, gums or jaw can not only be painful. It can mean a change to your facial balance, speech or ability to eat certain foods in the future. In many cases, the sooner you get appropriate treatment, the more likely you are to have less long-term implications.

What exactly is a dental emergency?

The first thing you need to know is what exactly constitutes a dental emergency. After all, you don’t want to get your dentist out of bed in the middle of the night if it is really something that could wait until morning. So how do you know if you are simply worrying about nothing – or whether there really is an emergency waiting to be tackled! Dentists agree that there are a number of dental injuries and issues that will require immediate and expert attention – no matter what time of the day or night they occur!

Serious toothache-dental abscess

Many of us suffer from toothache from time to time. Often, it is a minor problem that gets resolved during one of our regular dental check-ups. However, there can be times when toothache can arrive very suddenly and can be very painful. Usually, this is the case when we do not visit our dentist regularly enough, so that cavities are allowed to rot right through to the pulp of the tooth. In more serious situations, a dental abscess can develop if dental decay is left untreated – and an abscess will certainly cause extreme pain and require immediate dental treatment.

Lost fillings

A lost filling may not be the end of the world and many people can happily wait for a day or so until having it replaced. Of course, the problem can become worse and more painful if food or other debris becomes trapped in the cavity – so it does make sense to have the filling replaced sooner rather than later. Your dentist will arrange to see you quickly and fit a temporary filling to cover the cavity. You can then arrange for a full appointment and a proper filling at your leisure.

Lost Crowns

If the tooth is structurally sound and the crown still fits properly, your dentist will clean the area and then replace the crown.

If the tooth has been affected by decay, your dentist will need to prepare the tooth again by removing the decay and then making a crown to replace the old one.

If your dentist cannot be reached, you can use an over the counter dental cement to re-cement your crown, this will help protect and seal the area until you are able to see your dentist.

Chipped, cracked and broken teeth

Teeth can easily become chipped, cracked or broken. It could be the result of a trauma, such as a sports injury. Alternatively, a tooth could chip or crack simply because you have bitten down hard on the wrong type of food. Of course, if there is some decay in a tooth, then this may already have weakened the structure of the tooth and made it more susceptible to damaged when you eat or drink.

There are a number of different types of treatment that your dentist can offer for chipped, cracked or broken teeth. Usually, your emergency appointment will be used to ascertain whether any decay is present and how badly the tooth has decayed or damaged. Once this is clear, your dentist can decide whether the damage is primarily cosmetic or whether the tooth may need a filling, crown or complete extraction.

Knocked-out teeth

A lot of people believe that if they knock a tooth out accidentally, it will need to be replaced by a false tooth or denture. The extra cost often puts people off, so unless they are experiencing pain, they just learn to live with a missing tooth.

What many people do not realize is that a knocked out tooth can be salvaged if they act quickly. You must visit your dentist as quickly as possible – ideally within one hour. Of course, if you want to keep your tooth, you will need to pick it up and take it with you! If the tooth is dirty, rinse it under running water for a few seconds. Don't scrub it because the tooth can be damaged easily. When the tooth is clean, tuck it between the cheek and gum or, preferably, place it back into its own socket. Make sure it's facing the right way. The tooth has a better chance of surviving if it's kept in its natural environment. Another option is to put the tooth in a container of milk. The most important thing is to keep the tooth moist. Use a cup of water if nothing else is available. You can also purchase a kit at some pharmacies. The kit contains a solution similar to natural saliva e.g. Hank’s Balanced Saline Solution.

Ideally, you should aim to keep as many of your natural teeth as possible. It not only means that you can smile confidently. Missing teeth can affect your ‘bite’ and cause problems with eating, chewing and talking. The remaining teeth also suffer greater stress, wear and tear, so they can become more damaged over time.

Cuts, gashes and broken jaws

When people think of visiting their dentist, for emergency treatment or otherwise, they usually focus on issues to do with their teeth. However, in an emergency, your dentist can also be contacted about a number of connected problems. In the majority of cases that includes issues such as cuts, gashes and broken jaws, your dentist will be able to provide an initial examination, clean the wound and give you painkillers before referring your to your local hospital or an oral surgeon.

Generally speaking, these are the main types of dental problems that require emergency treatment. Of course, all patients need to use common sense. There are degrees of seriousness with every type of problem –for example, a cut lip is probably not an emergency in the same way that a broken jaw might be. Similarly, a larger filling or crown may require more immediate treatment than a smaller filling.

Now that you are aware of what constitutes a dental emergency, the next question should be obvious: what do you need to do in an emergency situation?

What should you do in a dental emergency?

If you are unlucky enough to require emergency dental treatment, your first step should be to ensure that you have taken all the necessary steps to stabilize your injury. There are other articles on this site which talk in more detail about what you need to do in each case. It could be something as simple as flossing into the cavity where you’ve just lost a filling. It could be placing a lost tooth into a glass of milk, or it could be ensuring that you take the right type of painkillers. Whatever the situation, there will be some steps you can take yourself to ease your condition.

Secondly – and fairly obviously – you are going to need to call your dentist. They are the experts, after all! Your local dental practice will anticipate a certain percentage of emergency work each week, so they will make sure that they have the depth of resources and the flexible staffing arrangements needed to accommodate you. That way, you can get the treatment you need as soon as possible.

Most dentists will also have an emergency answering service, for night-time emergencies.

If you follow these steps, gaining access to emergency dental treatment should be straightforward. While you may need to ease your condition with painkillers, you will certainly not need to try a DIY Dentistry – in fact, we would very much recommend leaving any dental work to the experts!

Could you be better prepared for dental emergencies?

For many people, the shock of a dental accident or the pain of a decaying tooth can mean that they find it difficult to think clearly at the time. This can often lead to them making bad decisions and not getting the treatment that they need quickly enough.

An important part of being prepared for every eventuality is that it helps you to avoid panic. Many people find it helps to create a ‘dental first aid kit’ to keep at home. Here, you can keep painkillers, swabs and dental wax, as well as important phone numbers such as your dentists and nearby hospital. You could also include a dental mouthwash to clean cuts and other injuries.

It may also be helpful to think about which friends or family members might be available to help you if you need it. Sometimes, it can be difficult to drive to your dentist if you are in pain.

What else do you need to know?

Many dental emergencies are caused, not by injury, but by neglect over a long period. This neglect means that decay can attack your teeth. For many people, cavities in the teeth go unnoticed for a long time – especially if they are not visiting their dentist regularly – and the pain can arrive suddenly and without warning.

Therefore, most dentists will advise that the best preparation for dental emergencies is to ensure that your teeth are checked every six months to ensure that your dentist is given the opportunity to spot potential problems well in advance. This way, you may still need some dental treatment – but ideally, you will have caught the problem before it becomes a full-scale emergency.

back to the top»
Dental Emergencies/Pain ***
Severe Tooth Pain/ Toothache
Dental Abscess/Gum Abscess
Tooth Abscess/Endodontic Treatment
Cracked Tooth/Endodontic Treatment
Fractured Tooth and Broken Teeth
Lost Dental Filling or Crown
Sensitive/Painful Teeth
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder (TMD)
Loose Teeth/Prevention-Causes and Treatment
Trouble With Your Dentures?
Anxious Patients
Using Sedation in Dentistry

   
back to Previous Page  
 
Sunnyvale Emergency Dental Care
25x25    
arrow Emergency Dentistry
arrow Emergency Toothache
arrow Treating Your Emergency Dental Abscess
arrow Emergency Lost Dental Filling or Crown
arrow Emergency Fractured Tooth and Broken Teeth
arrow Emergency Knocked Out Tooth/Teeth
  arrow Emergency Sports Injury/Dental Treatment
  arrow Emergency Broken Jaw/Dislocated Jaw
  arrow Pediatric Dental Emergencies
  arrow Emergency Wisdom Tooth Extraction
  arrow Emergency Bleeding After Dental Procedure/Dry Socket
  arrow Dry Socket Dental Emergency
  arrow Emergency Broken Denture/Denture Repair
  arrow Emergency Bitten Tongue or Lip
  arrow Emergency Trapped Objects Between Teeth and Gums
  arrow Emergency Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Pain
  arrow Emergency Braces Pain- Broken Wires or Brackets
  arrow When Tooth Erosion Becomes a Dental Emergency
  arrow Cold Sores and Fever Blisters
     
contentborder_rgt_06
contentborder_btm_03
 
 
border_btm_10
 
Emergency Dentistry   |   Emergency Toothache   |    Treating Your Emergency Dental Abscess   |   Emergency Knocked Out Tooth
Emergency Fractured Tooth and Broken Teeth    |  Emergency Broken Jaw/Dislocated Jaw   |   Emergency Bitten Tongue or Lip   
Emergency Lost Dental Filling or Crown   |   Emergency Trapped Objects Between Teeth and Gums   |   When Tooth Erosion Becomes a Dental Emergency
Cold Sores and Fever Blisters   |   Periodontal/Gum Disease Treatment   |   Emergency Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Pain   |   Emergency Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Dry Tooth Socket Emergency   |   Emergency Bleeding After Dental Procedure/Dry Socket   |  Emergency Broken Denture/Denture Repair
Emergency Sports Injury/Dental Treatment   |   Emergency Braces Pain-Broken Wires or Brackets 

Nasser Antonious DDS is licensed as a general dentist in California. Sunnyvale Dental Care established since 1995
Sunnyvale dentist, Nasser Antonious DDS welcomes new patients from all areas including Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Campbell, San Jose, Saratoga, Los Altos, and Los Gatos
General dentist, Preventive dentist, Cosmetic dentist, Invisalign dentist, Implant dentist, Children dentist, Sedation dentist

Sunnyvale Dental Care   |   152 W. El Camino Real   |   Sunnyvale, CA 94087 |   (408) 720-0900   |   Terms of Use  |   Privacy Policy  |   Site Map