Emergency Dental Service in Sippy Downs
Accidents happen anytime, and when a dental emergency arises, it’s critical to contact your dentist immediately. We seek to provide same-day emergency dental appointments as often as possible. Our gentle, caring dental team in Sippy Downs is ready to help with your dental emergency.
Whether you have loose dental work, broken or chipped teeth, or a painful dental infection, our team is here to help and get your smile back to normal as quickly as possible.
We Offer Urgent Care for These Dental Emergencies:
1. Loose Bridges
Untreated, a loose bridge allows bacteria to enter the cavity or cause severe damage to your other teeth. If your bridge feels loose or you’ve experienced trauma to your bridge, call your dentist’s office immediately. Our office will see you as soon as possible to re-secure your bridge and avoid damage to neighboring teeth.
Avoid moving or adjusting the bridge as much as possible. The friction can cause damage to the surrounding teeth.
2. Loose Crowns
When a crown comes loose, give our dental office a call immediately. Since dental crowns protect sensitive areas of the tooth, it’s critical to repair the crown as soon as possible to seal the area from bacteria and avoid infection.
By following the steps listed below, you can stay safe and minimize any damage to your teeth until you can see your dentist.
- Remove the crown if very loose to avoid accidentally ingesting your crown.
- Avoid sticky foods – they will worsen the problem and increase the likelihood of swallowing your crown by mistake.
- Chew foods on the opposite side of your mouthto avoid pain and further tooth damage.
- Leave it alone – don’t play with it using your tongue, try to remove it (unless it’s likely to be swallowed), etc. Moving the crown can cause further damage to your tooth.
If the crown comes off:
- Clean the crown gently with a toothbrush and water to remove dirt and debris
- Place the crown back on your tooth – if possible. The crown will protect your tooth until you can have your crown secured by your dentist.
- Do not adhere the crown with household glues. Ask your dentist if you should use temporary dental cement until you can visit their office.
3. Loose Fillings
If a filling comes loose, schedule an appointment with your dentist immediately. The hole left by a missing filling can allow bacteria to enter the tooth and cause an infection.
There are a few steps you can take to care of your tooth until you’re able to have the filling replaced:
- Keep the filling (if possible) – your dental team can reinsert a filling in some cases.
- Clean the area and gargle with lukewarm salt water to remove debris and prevent infection.
- Continue your regular hygiene routine – including brushing and flossing – use care around the area where the filling was located.
- Avoid chewing on the side of the missing filling to avoid pain and debris in the gap.
- Use dental wax to protect the exposed area – the dental wax will act as a temporary seal for bacteria until you can have the filling restored by your dentist.
4. Broken or Chipped Teeth
When you break or chip a tooth, immediately make an appointment with your dentist. The sooner you can see your dentist, the better outcome you’ll experience. Delayed appointments can result in additional damage to your teeth.
To care for your tooth until your dental appointment:
- Rinse your mouth with cool (not cold) water
- Preserve the tooth fragments in milk, if possible.
- Use a cold compress to minimize pain and swelling
- Take over-the-counter pain medication to manage pain and swelling until you can see your dentist.
5. Soft Tissue Damage and Gum Bleeding
Soft tissue damage and gum bleeding often seem much more severe than they are. Any bleeding can be unnerving, but invasive treatment is rarely needed. If you have gum or soft tissue damage:
Rinse your mouth with salt water to clean the area and avoid infection
Place a moist gauze or tea bag in your mouth for 15-20 minutes to manage bleeding
Use a cold compress 5-10 minutes for to manage pain and swelling
Contact your dentist if the bleeding doesn’t stop within 15-20 minutes.
6. Loose or Knocked-Out Teeth
Loose and knocked-out teeth often cause panic. But, with immediate care, teeth can often be placed back in the mouth. If you have a knocked-out tooth, follow the steps below for the best possible outcome:
- Contact your dentist immediately
- Find the tooth
- Rinse the tooth with running water
- Reinsert tooth (if possible)
- Place the tooth in milk to aid preservation.
- Pack gap with cotton to manage bleeding
7. Tooth Abscesses
Tooth abscesses are infections that can become serious very quickly. It’s critical to contact your dentist immediately once you notice the abscess.
Abscesses can damage tissue and other teeth if not treated promptly. To manage an abscess until your dental appointment, rinse with salt water several times daily and use a cold compress to manage pain and swelling.
8. Toothaches
The pain from a toothache can derail an entire day. Since a toothache is often caused by tooth decay or other damage to the tooth, it’s essential to contact your dentist to determine the root cause of your pain.
For pain relief from a toothache:
- Rinse your mouth with warm water
- Apply a cold compress
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever
9. Cracked Teeth
If you’ve cracked your tooth:
Contact your dentist immediately. A cracked tooth will not heal independently, so it’s important to seek dental care quickly for proper healing.
Clean the area by rinsing it with warm water.
Use a cold compress to prevent swelling.
Take an anti-inflammatory pain reliever to minimize pain and swelling.
Have a Dental Emergency? Give our Sippy Downs Dental Office a Call Now!