Your tooth feels sensitive, but it doesn’t hurt all the time. Ibuprofen usually stops the pain, so should you call your dentist? Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you have a dental emergency or not. Dr. John White, your emergency dentist in Ashville says that a good rule of thumb is to call us anyway! While you may have a condition that doesn’t require immediate attention, you should probably schedule an appointment to take care of it. Or it may be that you are indeed experiencing an emergency and we should see you right away. Here are some common emergency situations and tips for handling them.
A Broken or Chipped Tooth
If your tooth is broken, it will require treatment. You should contact Dr. White to be seen, and then bring all the pieces of your tooth to our office. He’ll determine the best treatment for your tooth.
If you have a small chip, it may not be an emergency, but you should still have it smoothed. Even a small chip can cause irritation to your soft tissues.
A Knocked Out Tooth
This is an emergency where time is of the essence! Contact our office right away because Dr. White has the best chance of saving your tooth within one hour of your injury. Be careful not to handle the tooth too much, and be sure to transport it carefully. If it can be placed back into your socket that’s best, if not transport it in milk to keep the cells moist and alive.
Dental Pain or Sensitivity
A dull or constant ache in your tooth, along with sensitivity to hot or cold can indicate an infection in your tooth. This is another condition in which you should act quickly. An infection will not go away without treatment, and you don’t want to allow it to spread to other critical areas of your body such as your brain. It could also lead to tooth loss if it’s left untreated, so be sure to contact our office right away.
Root canal therapy may be able to preserve your tooth, and Dr. White will remove the infected tissue from within your tooth and seal it with a temporary filling. After it heals, you’ll return to our office to have your tooth built back up with a crown or permanent dental filling.
A Lost or Broken Dental Restoration
If you break, chip, or lose a dental filling or crown contact our office to determine if you should be seen the same day. This may not require immediate attention, but you will need to treat your lost restoration in order to prevent further damage or painful situations such as an exposed root.
Contact Dr. White
We encourage all of our patients to contact us whether they’re sure of their emergency or not. Our team is here for you and your dentist in Asheville makes every effort to see emergency patients the same day. We’ll get you back on the path to wellness in no time!