Emergency Dentistry: What You Need to Know
When experiencing a dental emergency, you must see your dentist in Melbourne, FL, as soon as possible. What is considered a legitimate dental emergency? What steps should you take when you have an emergency? Keep reading to find out more.
What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?
Sometimes, you can experience pain or discomfort from a dental problem, but it is not a full-fledged emergency that requires immediate care. If you are experiencing pain that does not go away with over-the-counter pain medications, bleeding that will not stop, broken facial bones, or a severely cracked or knocked-out tooth, that is a dental emergency. For most other problems, you should contact us and schedule an appointment for the next business day.
If you are experiencing a mild toothache, that would not be considered a dental emergency. The same goes for damaged braces, as long as they are not causing severe bleeding or pain. A minor chipped tooth or mild bleeding doesn’t qualify, either.
What to Do During a Dental Emergency
While we will do everything we can to help you during a dental emergency, please understand that Artistic Touch Dentistry is not a 24-hour emergency clinic. If you have a dental emergency during regular business hours, we will try to see you and offer treatment that same day. We have four offices in the local area, in Indialantic, Palm Bay, Viera, and Melbourne, FL.
Our regular business hours are as follows:
- Monday: 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
If you have a dental emergency, call us at (321) 724-1400. If it is during regular business hours, we will direct you to the nearest clinic to your location and will make every effort to treat you. If it is after business hours or on the weekend, you may or may not be able to reach one of our staff at that number.
If you cannot reach us after hours or on the weekend, your best option is to go to the nearest emergency room or urgent care clinic. They can administer antibiotics if needed and help you manage pain, although they cannot help resolve an actual dental emergency. You must visit your dentist for that during the next business day.
How to Treat Various Common Dental Emergencies
The most common dental emergencies usually involve a damaged or knocked-out tooth or an infection from an abscessed tooth that results in severe facial swelling.
If you have a severe toothache or a cracked tooth, rinse your mouth with warm water and take an over-the-counter pain medication. You can also place a cold compress or an ice pack on the outside of your cheek to help relieve pain or swelling. Call our office to come in as quickly as possible for treatment.
If you experience an avulsion, a tooth that gets knocked out completely, hold it by the crown (the exposed part of the tooth above the roots) and rinse it with cold water. Try to put the tooth back in the socket facing the correct direction. If you cannot put it back in the socket, place it in a cup of milk or water with a pinch of salt. If you can make it to our office within one hour, there is a good chance that the tooth can be saved and successfully put back in place. If it takes longer than an hour, the tooth will likely die.
If you have a crown or bridge that is dislodged or broken, try to put it back in place with over-the-counter dental cement or toothpaste until you can make it to our office.
We also have a post on additional dental emergencies and how to treat them that can provide more information.
The first thing you should always do during a dental emergency is call your dentist, even if you go to the emergency room. You will still need care for the emergency from your dentist on the next available business day. Contact us at Artistic Touch Dentistry if you are experiencing a dental emergency, and we will do everything we can to help resolve the problem!