Emergency Dental Care
Dental emergencies happen and they can be painful or stressful to have to deal with, but our Elk Grove, CA dentist office tries our very best to handle these emergencies as quickly as we possibly can. We want our patients–and non-patients too!–to feel the relief of knowing they have somewhere to turn.
What is Considered an Emergency Dental Situation?
Occasionally there can be a bit of confusion about what constitutes a dental emergency as well as how quickly these issues should be handled. In general, an emergency usually involves any tooth or dental restoration that is lost, loose or out of place. Pain is also, of course, something that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. It is not only intolerable but an indicator that something is wrong.
Usually, when it comes to most dental emergencies, it is often sufficient to call your dentist, follow any instructions given and make an appointment to come in as soon as possible. Some emergencies, or, when dealing with high levels of pain, should, however, be taken to your dentist immediately. If possible, placing a call is always the best first step.
Types of Dental Emergencies
As noted above, when a dental restoration of some kind (fillings, caps, crowns, implants or dentures) has been broken, lost or shifted out of place, you want to have it repaired as soon as possible. As long as the issue is not causing pain or alarm, you can contact your dentist during normal hours to let us know what is going on and we can help with arranging an appointment quickly. If you are unsure if you can wait for an appointment, be sure to let your dentist (or after-hours dentist) know this as well as what you are experiencing and you will be instructed on how to proceed.
If you’ve chipped or broken a natural tooth, you should contact your dentist right away. In the meantime, rinsing with lukewarm water as well as the use of gauze can provide some temporary relief. Keep the area clean and do not attempt to chew any hard or tough foods until the problem has been taken care of. If the break has created a sharp edge and there is a short wait time for an appointment, your pharmacist may be able to suggest a product to protect the area until you can see your dentist. Again, if you are concerned that you cannot wait or pain is present, always relay this information to your dentist.
If you have had a tooth knocked out or it has become loose, contact your dentist or after-hours dentist immediately. When a tooth is lost, acting quickly is your best option and best chance of saving your tooth. After you’ve contacted your dentist, place the tooth in a container of milk (or water) and salt and see a professional as soon as you can.
Finally, if you’re experiencing a toothache and are unsure of the cause, give us a call. Use the level of pain as an indicator of how serious the issue may be. You shouldn’t have to experience any amount of pain while waiting for a dental appointment. Call our dentist office and let us know that you are in pain and we will get you in as quickly as we can.
Our Promise to You
We can almost always fit in a patient with an emergency in a timely fashion. If we cannot, we will instruct you on what to do in that event. Your best course of action is to call our office to inform us of your situation and we will be able to guide you to the fastest path to relief. We do take walk-ins (patients and non-patients) if we can. If an emergency occurs after normal business hours, we have our on-call dentist, Dr. Fenton, available to inform you of your next best step.
Contact Our Emergency Dentist Today!
We are here to help and relieve your worry and pain. If you are currently in pain or experiencing a dental emergency, do not hesitate to call our Laguna Vista Dental at (916) 684-3105 right away. You can also request an appointment online.