If you have a dental emergency, you need a dentist to look at the problem right away and to treat it as needed. To find an affordable emergency dentist, you can ask around on local websites or look through the business listings on search engines. The websites of these dentists may not spell out the charges, but some sites do. Getting affordable urgent dental care may require calling for a price.
If you have a dental emergency during the day, you can go to an affordable walk in dentist and find out the prices from them. You can also ask for an estimate before the work is done on your dental problem. If you have an after hour dental emergency, you may have fewer choices to pick from to get the work done quickly. Look online for dentists that offer emergency services after hours.
An emergency problem may be a cracked tooth, a broken tooth, or one or more teeth knocked out. It can be important to get quick care so that you can get the problem fixed and not suffer from more damage. If a tooth has been knocked out, an emergency dentist may be able to put it back into place.
Sometimes you know you need an emergency dentist. Other times the issue may not be so clear. How do you know if you need to look for an emergency dentist or if the problem can wait for a regular appointment? Here’s what you need to know:
Visible Tooth Issues
If you’ve sustained any kind of injury to the tooth, look for a crack, a break, or a knocked out tooth. If there is a minor crack or fracture, there’s a good chance you can wait for normal office hours before looking for dentists. If there’s a long or deep crack, a piece of the tooth missing, nerve damage, or a completely knocked out tooth, you’ll need to see an emergency dentist.
What to Do With a Knocked-Out Tooth
If a tooth has been completely knocked out of your mouth, try to touch and handle it as little as possible. Try to put it back in the socket, but if that doesn’t work, rinse off any dirt you can see and put it in a small container with some milk. Go immediately to seek help from an emergency dentist.
What to Do With an Empty Socket
If someone has a tooth knocked out and the tooth will sit in the socket, give them a wet tea bag to bite down on to hold it there. If the tooth can’t be kept in the socket, a cold compress of any safe and wet material will help to minimize bleeding and make the person feel more comfortable. Get them to dental help as quickly as possible.
Tooth Pain
If tooth pain comes on suddenly, you should seek help from an emergency dentist. If you’re on the fence about it, try rinsing your mouth with warm salt water and see if it gets better over a few hours. If it doesn’t, get help right away.
Missing Crowns and Fillings
If you wake up one day, or sit back from the table, and find that a crown or filling is missing, it can be tempting to think this is no big deal and you can wait to visit your dentist. In reality, this can be a very serious dental emergency. Your inner tooth and nerve are now exposed, and it’s crucial to get it taken care of quickly.
Bleeding Gums
Bleeding gums could be nothing serious, or they could be very serious. If you know what’s going on and bleeding is minor, there’s likely nothing to worry about. If bleeding comes on suddenly or is severe, see an emergency dentist as soon as you can.
No one loves going to the dentist, but thankfully we have trusted dentistry available that can deal with our dental issues. If you’re experiencing any serious dental problem, don’t wait. Get help from an emergency dentist as soon as possible.