Emergency dental problems don’t wait until you have free time to visit the dentist and are often inconveniently timed on hours when 9-5 dental offices are closed – such as weekends. If one or more of your teeth has been broken, damaged, or even knocked out over the weekend, don’t wait to seek dental care.
Call Your Dentist!
In all cases of a dental emergency, where a larger medical emergency is not a factor, give our dental office a call immediately. While many dentists may recommend that you are seen when normal office hours resume, City Place Dental is open on Saturdays to accommodate busy patients and those with dental emergencies. Even if you cannot make it into our office to be seen immediately, we’ll find the earliest possible time to get you the care you need.
If our office is closed at the time of your call, leave us a message and we will address your issue as quickly as possible.
Take Intermediate Steps to Relieve Pain
Before you are seen by our dental team, you can do a few things to ensure that you are comfortable and that your eventual dental visit is able to effectively repair your smile.
Reduce Swelling – In cases of infection, soft tissue can swell and affected teeth can become painful. Try an ice pack pressed against your cheek to help numb discomfort and minimize inflammation.
Temporary Fixes for Broken Prosthetics – If you have a filling, crown, bridge that has been broken and fallen out, you can use temporary drugstore dental adhesive to keep your restoration in place before your appointment. These products are sold over the counter and protect natural tooth structure until a permanent fix can be supplied by our dental office. Please keep in mind that there are only interim solutions; drugstore dental adhesive should not be considered a long-term treatment.
Save Knocked-Out Teeth – When a tooth has been completely ejected from your smile, there’s a chance it can be reinserted – saving the need for a dental prosthetic. In these cases, handle your tooth very carefully and be sure not to touch the roots. If you can put it back in its original place, this is an option for preserving the tooth until you can be seen. If not, placing the tooth in a container of saliva or milk helps to keep necessary tissue intact for reimplanting.
If you’ve experienced a dental emergency, call our Silver Spring, MD dental office for help!
