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Why Choose Westcliff Family Dentistry for Emergency Dental Care?

  • Same-Day Appointments Available for Emergency Patients
  • State-of-the-Art Office
  • We Accept In and Out-of-Network PPO Insurance

How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies

Young woman in pain holding jaw

Whether your child has a severe toothache or your own teeth have been injured in an accident, the first thing you should do is call Dr. Kazmi. Contacting us right away will allow us to walk you through first-aid and schedule an appointment for as soon as possible. In the time between your call and when you can make it to our office, here are a few ways to manage some of the most common dental emergencies:

Man holding jaw

Toothaches

A toothache can sometimes be caused by a piece of food being stuck in between the teeth, so try rinsing and flossing the area first. If this doesn’t help, take an OTC pain-reliever and apply a cold compress to the face. Resist the urge to put an aspirin directly on the gums, as this could potentially cause a chemical burn.

Woman covering mouth

Chipped/Broken Tooth

Try to recover as many pieces of the tooth that you can and put them in a safe container. Be sure to bring them to our office. An OTC medication and cold compress can help manage any pain or swelling, and try to cover the remaining tooth with some sugarless gum or dental wax to prevent it from cutting the inside of the mouth.

Man holding cheek

Knocked-Out Tooth

Find the tooth, rinse it off without disturbing any tissue still on the root, and make sure it stays wet until we can see you. This will keep the tooth alive until we can replant it. You can do this by placing it back into the socket, holding it between the cheek and gums, or putting it in a container with milk or saltwater.

Woman in pain covering mouth

Lost Filling/Crown

Clean the restoration with some lukewarm water, and try to put it back onto the tooth. If it keeps falling off, a dab of toothpaste can act as a temporary adhesive. Be sure to avoid chewing with the tooth until we can see you to prevent any further damage.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Woman receiving dental checkup

As with any dental problem, prevention is always the best medicine, especially when it comes to emergencies! Here are a few ways to keep you and your loved ones safe from unexpected dental issues:

  • Wear a mouthguard every time you play sports
  • Avoid chewing on items that can wear down and break your teeth, such as ice, popcorn kernels, pens, pencils, fingernails, etc.
  • Be careful when eating particularly hard, chewy, or sticky foods.
  • Your teeth are only designed to chew food, so don’t use them to open stubborn packages or bottles!
  • Brush and floss every day and get regular dental checkups twice a year—this will stop those small problems that often turn into big emergencies if ignored.

The Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies

Man in dental chair holding jaw

Because every emergency dental situation is different, the recommended treatment and cost always varies from patient to patient. One person might need a small filling, while another may require several teeth to be removed and replaced. Whatever the case may be, we know that urgent dental care is always an unpleasant surprise, and we never want finances to prevent someone from getting what they need. That’s why our practice accepts most PPO dental insurance plans, offers flexible financing, and we even have our own In-House Savings Plan.