If you’re suffering from dental emergencies like severe tooth pain, a lost filling or an abscessed tooth, you’ll need to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible. These clinics offer evening and weekend hours so you can get the care you need without waiting.

If your tooth is knocked out, rinse it gently in saline water or put it in a small container of saliva and see an emergency dentist within two hours.

Broken or Chipped Teeth

Tooth fractures and chips typically happen due to trauma to the mouth, such as biting down on a hard object or suffering a blow to the head. These dental emergencies can be quite painful and must be treated immediately by an emergency dentist to prevent further damage and pain.

After a tooth breaks, there are several steps that can be taken to help relieve the pain and ease the situation until you can get in to see an emergency dentist. These include rinsing the mouth to remove any food debris, applying a small amount of over-the-counter ibuprofen if necessary to reduce pain and swelling, and icing the area to help control inflammation. You may also want to try putting wax paraffin or sugarless gum over the jagged edge of the broken tooth to prevent irritation to your tongue until you can make it to your emergency dentist’s office.

If you have a knocked out tooth, try to locate it and pick it up by the crown, not by the root. If possible, place it back in its socket and bite down to help hold it in place. Otherwise, you can keep it in a glass of milk or water until you can reach your emergency dentist. Don’t attempt to replace a knocked out tooth with glue because this can cause more permanent damage.

Toothache

Toothache can be a sign of a variety of issues ranging from simple cavities to tooth decay to more serious conditions such as dental abscesses. It can also be a symptom of sinus infections, jaw problems (trigeminal neuralgia) and even certain heart conditions. Pain can vary in severity from mild to excruciating.

The most common cause of tooth pain is a cavity. If the cavity is small, a filling will likely take care of it and your tooth pain should subside. If the cavity is larger, or if the tooth is cracked or chipped, your dentist may have to perform a root canal. If the pain persists you may need to take over-the-counter or prescription medications to ease the discomfort until your emergency appointment.

If you lose a filling, it is important to call an emergency dentist in Toledo OH as soon as possible to have it replaced before the tooth structure becomes too damaged. A tooth that has a missing filling can be more sensitive to hot, cold or sweet foods and drinks.

If you have a severe toothache or lost filling, do not go to the hospital emergency room. Instead, call an emergency dentist in Toledo OH as they are better equipped to handle these types of dental emergencies. They can also offer you x-rays to diagnose the problem and provide painkillers to get you through until your next visit.

Dental Abscess

An abscessed tooth or gum is a serious condition that may require emergency dental treatment. It’s caused by a bacterial infection that begins in the soft pulp at the center of a tooth (the root of a tooth is called a pulp). If a person is experiencing severe pain, swelling of the gums or jaw, fever, bad breath and sensitivity to heat or cold, they may have an abscessed tooth.

Dental abscesses can be cured by draining the pus or surgically removing the tooth. If a person is unable to see an emergency dentist right away, they can visit their local hospital’s emergency department or an urgent care clinic for antibiotic treatment. The best antibiotics to treat dental infections are fourth-generation or higher cephalosporins and extended spectrum penicillins like piperacillin/tazobactam, as well as carbapenems like meropenem.

A person can also prevent abscesses by avoiding putting pressure on a sore tooth or gum. It’s also important to have teeth cleaned regularly to reduce the risk of infection.

Lost Fillings

While fillings and crowns that cover damaged teeth usually stay in place, they sometimes come loose or fall out. This is a common dental problem that can happen to anyone at any time. It is typically not a dental emergency, but it should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent bacteria and other factors from causing more damage.

Loose fillings can cause pain and discomfort. To help relieve pain and reduce swelling, patients should take an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen or apply clove oil to the affected tooth and gum. Clove oil is sold in pharmacies and some grocery stores, and it has been known to ease tooth pain and provide a temporary numbing effect. Using a cold compress or an ice pack for 15 minutes at a time also helps.

If a patient experiences any kind of dental trauma, they should call their dentist immediately and make an appointment. The emergency dentist will assess the situation and may take an x-ray of the area to determine the best course of action. In many cases, the dentist will recommend a new filling or a dental crown to repair the tooth. If the underlying tooth is exposed for too long, bacteria can wreak havoc on the tooth and lead to more extensive repair or even tooth loss.