Whether you’ve had a tooth knocked out, you are experiencing severe tooth pain, you have a tooth that is severely cracked, or you are experiencing any other dental emergency, you’ll want to seek care immediately. The same goes for if your child is experiencing an emergency.
If you are experiencing a major oral health issue involving your teeth, gums, or jawbone, don’t wait around for your next scheduled appointment. Reach out to Forest Hills Dental today about emergency dentistry in Forest Hills NY. Our practice offers emergency dental services for patients of all ages. Even if you aren’t currently a patient of Forest Hills Dental, we are happy to help in the case of an emergency.
You may be considering going to the emergency room if you have a dental emergency. This generally isn’t required unless you are experiencing excessive bleeding, a potentially broken jaw, or major swelling. This is because emergency rooms can only provide short-term relief. They aren’t equipped to handle oral healthcare issues. Instead, reach out to Forest Hills Dental so we can get you into the office as soon as possible.
Am I Experiencing a Dental Emergency in Forest Hills NY?
It can be difficult to tell if your oral healthcare issue is an emergency or not, as we often think of emergencies as something that affects other areas of the body. If you aren’t sure if you are experiencing an emergency, consider the following:
- Am I able to continue my day with this level of discomfort?
- Is there swelling?
- Is this getting in the way of eating/drinking?
- Will I sustain permanent damage if this isn’t addressed?
There are situations in which a tooth is chipped, or you are experiencing mild pain. These may not be instances where an emergency service is required. If your issue involves severe discomfort, swelling, the inability to eat, or other major problems, you will want to contact Forest Hills Dental about an emergency appointment. If you have any questions about whether or not you are experiencing an emergency, feel free to give us a call. We’ll let you know if an emergency appointment is needed. If not, we’ll get you scheduled for a regular appointment.
Whether it’s an emergency or not, if you have a damaged tooth or teeth, damaged gums, or issues with your jawbone, you should contact Forest Hills Dental so the issue can be resolved as soon as possible.
How to Handle a Dental Emergency
Dental emergencies can be scary. You aren’t used to emergencies occurring, so you may not know how to handle an emergency if it occurs. There are a few things that you’ll want to consider if you are having a dental emergency.
If the emergency is due to a broken tooth or a tooth that has been knocked out, you’ll want to collect the missing fragments or find the missing tooth. If you are able to do this and get to a dentist quickly enough, they may be able to repair the tooth. Generally, you’ll need to get your tooth or fragments to the dentist within two hours.
Once you find the tooth or fragments, wash off any debris with water. Do not touch the root, and don’t scrub the root. From there, place the tooth or fragments in a sealed container with milk or saline solution. If you don’t have either, consider tap water with a pinch of salt.
You may consider reinserting the tooth. You can try this but don’t force it. There may be a bone that is broken. Even if you are able to reinsert the tooth, you still need to visit the dentist immediately.
If you are experiencing bleeding, use a clean cloth or tissue and apply pressure to the area. Your mouth has lots of blood vessels, so it can bleed easily. If the bleeding doesn’t slow down or it is severe, visit an emergency room.
If you are experiencing swelling, you can use an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen (unless your doctor has indicated you should avoid this medication). This will help both with addressing the swelling and the pain.
