When it comes to dental emergencies, regular hospital emergency room (ER) doctors are only equipped to treat your pain and stem any oral bleeding. They will direct you to a dentist who performs urgent dental care for proper treatment.
Dental emergencies are one reason why it is ideal to see a family dentist for regular dental checkups, because the dentist will have immediate access to your full dental profile, health history, and X-rays. This dentist knows best how to treat any sudden dental emergency that you have, and they will likely be able to see you within 24 hours if their facility also provides urgent dental care.
Many dentists offer same-day appointments to treat dental emergencies, especially for their own patients. Let’s talk about when it’s time to visit a dentist whose office also serves as an urgent dental clinic:
What Is a Dental Emergency?
It is important to know what counts as a dental emergency, because some oral conditions or injuries can develop into a serious infection if not treated promptly by an experienced dentist. Some of the most common urgent dental issues include:
- Sudden excruciating toothache or tooth pain
- Traumatic injury to one or more teeth
- Mouth infection or inflammation in the gums
- Discoloration in the mouth
- Discharge such as pus in or around the mouth
- Cracked or broken tooth that is exposing tissue in the teeth or gums
If you are experiencing one or more of these conditions, call a dentist right away who offers urgent dental services at their clinic. If your dentist cannot see you soon, see another dentist who will.
What Should I Do in the Meantime?
If an accident caused you to lose a tooth or part of a tooth and now your mouth is bleeding or is in a lot of pain, avoid touching the affected teeth or gums so you do not develop an infection. Place a cold compress or a covered ice pack on the part of your face where the tooth loss occurred to stem any bleeding and quell the pain.
If you have the tooth or the part of the tooth that broke off, it is a good idea to place it in a sealed container with some milk. Place the container in the refrigerator if it will be a while before you can see the dentist for your emergency visit.
Without opening the container, bring it with you to the dentist. The dentist may be able to clean it fully and place it back in your mouth if it was not too badly damaged.
Cosmetic Issues Can Wait
For cosmetic issues, such as discoloration or a slight chip in your tooth that isn’t causing pain, simply make an urgent (not emergency) appointment with your dentist and wait for their next availability. The dentist will likely be able to see you soon anyway. Cosmetic issues do not constitute dental emergencies, just embarrassment!
Urgent Dental Clinic in Henderson, Nevada
At Dedicated Dental, your comfort, convenience, and dental health are of utmost importance to us, which is why we attend to patients with dental emergencies and accept same-day appointments. For chipped, broken, or knocked out teeth, or unbearable tooth pain, our compassionate dental staff will address your issue quickly and effectively.
Call us today at (702) 566-5509 for emergency dental care here in Las Vegas and schedule an appointment as soon as possible. For regular dental appointments, please feel free to fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to seeing you here and helping you maintain excellent oral health!
