Emergency Dental Care

What is emergency dental care?

Emergency dentistry is dental care for oral conditions that need immediate treatment. Faith Cousins, DDS, offers same-day appointments for patients experiencing a dental emergency.

If you have a dental emergency, try to get to the office as soon as possible. Seeing a dentist shortly after your emergency gives them a better chance at treating your issue and restoring your smile. 

If you experience trauma to your head or neck in addition to your dental emergency, you should visit the emergency room or a general physician before coming to the dentist. 

What are some examples of dental emergencies?

Some of the dental emergencies that the team at Faith Cousins, DDS, can treat include: 

• Missing restorations, like a crown or filling
• Knocked-out tooth or partially knocked-out tooth
• Fractured or cracked tooth
• Chipped or broken tooth
• Severe toothache
• Cuts, tears, or lacerations to your gums, lips, cheeks, or tongue

If you’re unsure whether you’re experiencing a dental emergency, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Call the office immediately to speak with one of the team members. They can tell you if you need emergency care.

What should I do until I get to the office?

Here are some tips on how to handle a dental emergency before you arrive at Faith Cousins, DDS:

Missing filling or crown

If you can find the crown or filling, rinse it off in lukewarm water and keep it in a cool, safe space. You can try to temporarily fit it back on your tooth with store-bought dental cement. If you can’t find the restoration, you can put store-bought dental cement on top of your tooth to protect it.

Broken or cracked tooth

Rinse your mouth and the tooth fragment with lukewarm water. If you’re bleeding, apply gauze for up to 10 minutes at a time. You can reduce swelling with a cool, damp towel placed on your cheek, and you can use a topical pain reliever to minimize discomfort. 

Knocked-out tooth

If you can find the tooth, rinse it off in lukewarm water, but be careful to not touch the root. Only ever hold it by the crown (the cap). Try to put it back in its socket, then bite down. If you can’t fit it back in its socket, keep it in the side of your mouth or in a glass of milk or saliva. This keeps the roots from drying out until your dentist tries to reinsert it. 

Don’t wait to get the care you need. Call the office of Faith Cousins, DDS, immediately for your emergency dental needs.