Whether due to a sports-related injury, motor vehicle accident, or just a lack of oral hygiene, dental emergencies can develop for all kinds of reasons here in Fort Worth. They’re never expected, but when they pop up, they require immediate attention. Instead of wasting time in an ER, we offer fast and professional emergency dental care here at Studio Dental of Chisholm Trail. Our team of dentists is able to handle absolutely anything, and we’ll work to get you out of pain so you can return to your normal life nice and fast.
Dental emergencies either occur suddenly or develop slowly over time, but in either case, the first thing you should do is call Studio Dental of Chisholm Trail. Seeking out professional care is the only way to completely solve the problem, and waiting will only allow any pain to get worse. However, there are a few things you can do before you’re able to reach our office that will help you manage any discomfort and take control of the situation:
If a person is suffering from a toothache, have them rinse and floss around the tooth to dislodge anything that might be stuck and causing the pain. If this doesn’t fix things outright, have them place a cold compress on their face and/or take an OTC-pain reliever.
Try to recover as many pieces of the tooth that you can and put them in a safe container until you’re able to see us. In the meantime, taking an OTC medicine can help lessen any pain. If the tooth has a rough edge that is causing irritation in the mouth, placing a little dental wax or a wet cotton ball over it can help mitigate this.
If the gums only bleed a little bit while brushing and flossing, then this isn’t an emergency, but you should still give us a call, as it could be a sign of early-stage gum disease. However, if the gums have a laceration, place pressure on the wound using a clean rag or gauze. If the bleeding doesn’t stop after 10 minutes, head straight to your local emergency room.
Crowns can become loose over time due to the underlying natural tooth wearing down, or they can fall out altogether if someone accidentally bites into something hard. In any case, recover the crown, give it a gentle rinse, and try to place it back over the tooth. To help, a dab of toothpaste can serve as a temporary adhesive.
Gather all of the pieces of the denture that you can and put them in a safe container. The one thing you definitely DON’T want to do is try to fix the denture yourself. This often leads to even more damage. We may be able to repair your denture, or we might suggest that you get a completely new one.
Fully knocked-out teeth can be successfully put back into place, but time is of the essence. Ideally, we should see someone about an hour or two after the accident. Find the tooth, gently rinse it off, and try to place it back into its socket. If this isn’t possible, put it in a container with some milk or saltwater. Keeping it wet will help it stay alive until we can see you.
The cost of treating a dental emergency is different for every patient depending on their particular situation. Minor toothaches might just require a filling, while severely damaged or decayed teeth may need to be extracted and replaced. In any case, we will quickly go over all of your options so there aren’t any surprises at checkout. Our goals are to get someone out of pain first and foremost, and then we’ll repair their tooth so that the same emergency doesn’t happen again in the future.