Emergency Dentist – Uptown Houston, TX

When we talk about dental emergencies, they generally fall into two distinct categories. This includes long-term problems that lead to tooth pain (such as decay or oral infections) and physical trauma that left a tooth cracked, fractured or completely knocked out. Regardless of the type of dental emergency you’re experiencing, Dr. Alani can get you out of pain and on a treatment plan that treats the source of your emergency, rather than simply put a bandage on it. Call our office and we’ll do everything we can to get you seen right away!

How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies

While dental emergencies must be handled by a dentist, there are ways you can improve your circumstances until you get to our office. The moment you notice something is wrong, either with your teeth, gums or other part of your mouth, call our office to schedule an appointment. We’ll do what we can to see you the same day. In the meantime, here’s what you should do in the following emergency situations.

Toothaches

Use dental floss to remove potential food debris from between your teeth. If discomfort continues, you can take an over-the-counter painkiller like ibuprofen. We advise against taking aspirin as it can lead to a burning sensation if it comes in contact with your gum tissue. You can also apply a cold compress to your cheek for 10 minutes to provide relief.

Chipped/Broken Tooth

Collect any pieces of the tooth that you can and bring them to our office for closer examination. If your face begins to swell due to injury, apply a cold compress to your face for up to 10 minutes at a time, then remove the compress for an additional 10 minutes. Repeat this for up to one hour.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Do your best to stay calm. Locate the tooth and bring it to the office. Make sure to pick it up only by the crown portion and do not remove any tissue still attached. After rinsing your mouth out with warm water as well as gently rinsing any dirt or debris from the tooth, try to place it back into your open socket for preservation. You may also keep it in a container of milk or saltwater until you get to our office; just make sure to do so within the hour to improve your chances of reimplanting the tooth.

Lost Filling/Crown

If you do not have the restoration, avoid chewing on that side of your mouth until you arrive. If you still have the restoration, you can attempt to temporarily reattach it to your tooth using dental cement, denture adhesive, or sugar-free chewing gum if nothing else is available.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

While dental emergencies can be unpredictable, there are ways to reduce the risk of them happening to you and your family. For example, it’s advised that you:

• Brush twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste and floss daily
• Maintain routine checkups and cleanings once every six months
• Never use your teeth as a tool, such as to open packages or bottles
• Break or address habits that damage teeth (i.e. nail-biting, chewing on pens and pencils, teeth grinding and clenching throughout the night, etc.)
• Always wear a mouthguard when participating in contact sports

The Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies are generally difficult to provide a price for until you’ve had a detailed exam. From there, we can determine if a simple cleaning and filling is needed to handle a toothache (which is generally less expensive) or something more complex like a dental crown (which often has a higher cost.) No matter the price of your emergency treatment, waiting to receive care only increases the risk of your dental emergency worsening, so don’t hesitate to give us a call!