You never thought it would happen to you, but it did. You were trying to convince your toddler to eat his dinner, when in a fit of rage he throws his metal fork across the room, striking you right in the mouth. You head to the mirror to examine your teeth and are terrified to see that half of your front tooth is completely missing. This is nothing short of a dental emergency.
Even though people experience dental emergencies all the time, many are unsure whether or not to call their dentist after hours. For some reason, it seems easier to determine what would warrant an emergency room visit, but it is not as easy for folks to know what would warrant a phone call to an emergency dentist. Today, we’d like to help clear up some of that confusion.
At Century Dental and Seaview Dental, we want you to feel comfortable calling us during an emergency. If you call after hours, you will be directed to our emergency line. This line goes directly to our on-call dentist and we will arrange to see you as quickly as possible. This service is here for you, so please use it rather than risk losing a tooth! Keep reading to learn more about what could be considered a dental emergency. Additionally, if you found this page because you typed into Google “emergency dentist near me” while experiencing an emergency, skip the read and call our dentist office.
Severely Chipped Or Cracked Tooth
The scenario we started with, where a significant portion of your tooth is broken off, is definitely a dental emergency. If you experience a very small chip or crack, you will most likely be fine waiting until normal office hours if you are not experiencing any pain. However, but if you are unsure if it is an emergency or are in pain, call us right away.
Knocked Out Tooth
For many, this is the stuff of nightmares. If you find yourself with a completely knocked out tooth, or a tooth that is suddenly very loose due to some sort of blunt force, call us ASAP. While you wait to see your dentist, there are a few things you can do to try and save this tooth. First, do not handle the tooth by the root, as this can destroy important cells that may be necessary for the tooth to reattach to the bone. Then, try to gently place the tooth back into the socket. If this cannot be done, submerge the tooth in milk or saliva until you can get to the dentist’s office.
Severe Toothache Or Abscess
If you experience a severe and sudden toothache, you are most likely dealing with some sort of infection, decay, or abscess. A tooth abscess happens when a pocket of pus forms inside the tooth or surrounding gums due to an infection. The abscess must be drained as soon as possible and you may need a root canal, extraction, or antibiotics depending on the severity of the abscess.
Tissue Damage
If you puncture or otherwise gouge or lacerate your tongue or cheek, this might be better suited to an emergency room or urgent care visit if your teeth are not injured. However, if your teeth are loose, shifted, or otherwise injured, get in touch with us.
Call Your Emergency Dentist Any Time
We want to be here for you during a dental emergency. Whether you need to call our dentist in Jackson or Eatontown, trust that we’ll be with you as soon as possible to get you in for treatment. During a dental emergency, the sooner you call, the more likely it is that we can help save the tooth. Call any of our dental offices in New Jersey today if you are experiencing any of the above situations or something else you think might be an emergency.
