In the case of a dental emergency, you can reach us by calling 334-8193. During non-office hours, a real person at our 24-hour answering service will take your call and contact us any day of the week.
You can take simple precautions to avoid accident and injury to your teeth. To reduce the chances of damage to your teeth, lips, cheek and tongue, wear a mouth guard when participating in sports or recreational activities that may pose a risk. Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy, all of which can crack a tooth. Use scissors rather than your teeth to cut tape or packaging.
When accidents happen, knowing what to do can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth. Please click here for tips on how to deal with emergencies.
Tips for Dealing with Emergencies
• Bitten Lip or Tongue
• Broken Tooth
• Cracked Tooth
• Jaw–Possibly Broken
• Knocked-Out Tooth
• Objects Caught Between Teeth
• Toothache
Bitten Lip or Tongue
Clean the area gently with a cloth and apply cold compresses to reduce any swelling. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, go to a hospital emergency room immediately.
Broken Tooth
Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. Use cold compresses on the area to keep any swelling down. Call us immediately.
Cracked Tooth
Call us so we can evaluate the problem and arrange for treatment.
Jaw–Possibly Broken
Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Go to the hospital emergency department immediately.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the root of the tooth in water if it’s dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket. If that isn’t possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and get to the dentist as quickly as possible. Remember to take the tooth with you!
Objects Caught Between Teeth
Try to gently remove the object with dental floss; avoid cutting the gums. Never use a sharp instrument to remove any object that is stuck between your teeth. If you can’t dislodge the object using dental floss, contact us.
Toothache
Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss or an interdental cleaner to ensure that there is no food or other debris caught between the teeth. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. If the pain persists, contact us.
