At Collins Dentistry & Aesthetics, we’re here for our patients at all times, especially during dental emergencies. Unfortunately, oral health isn’t always predictable. Taking a bad fall or getting into a car accident can cause you to knock out or damage a tooth, or an untreated cavity might lead to a tooth infection. Whatever the circumstance of your dental emergency, our emergency dentists in Spokane, WA, are available to help. Find out if you have a dental emergency and what you should do if you have one.
If you believe you have a dental emergency and require immediate attention, please contact our dental office in Spokane by calling 509-532-1111 today.
What’s Considered a Dental Emergency?
There are several types of conditions we would consider dental emergencies. Generally, any oral health problem that causes severe pain, excessive bleeding, infection, or a loose or missing tooth is an indication you’ll need to call a Spokane emergency dentist. Some of the most common types of dental emergencies that require same-day treatment are as follows.
Knocked-Out Tooth
When a tooth becomes knocked out, it’s crucial to seek medical attention as soon as possible to reattach the tooth. There is a one to two-hour window after the tooth becomes knocked out before the tooth will not reattach.
If you knock out a tooth, stay calm. Rinse your mouth with warm water and then apply gauze with light pressure to stop the bleeding. Look for the knocked-out tooth and carefully pick it up by the crown (top) and rinse in water. Then place the tooth in a cup of milk, saliva, or water with a pinch of salt. Please contact our emergency dentists in Spokane immediately to meet us at our office. Your Spokane dentist will try to reattach your tooth.
Damaged or Lost Crowns, Veneers, Bridges or Fillings
If a dental restoration like a crown, bridge, veneer, or filling becomes lost or damaged in any way, our Spokane dentists will need to treat you promptly, especially if the restoration comes completely off. The purpose of these restorations is to restore your tooth’s strength and health or replace it altogether. When the restoration becomes damaged, it’s just as bad as damaging a natural tooth. Please contact our dental office if one of your restorations becomes damaged. The sooner we treat the issues, the less likely it will cause problems with your other teeth and gums. If a crown, veneers, bridge, or filling becomes loose or falls out, you can secure it with sugar-free chewing gum until you can make it to our dental office in Spokane.
Abscess or Swelling
Another dental emergency that requires immediate attention is a tooth abscess. Tooth abscesses occur when a bacterial infection causes a pocket filled with pus to develop near the top of the tooth root or adjacent to the tooth on the gums. Tooth abscesses can occur due to poor oral hygiene, an untreated cavity, dry mouth, a high sugar diet, or injury to the tooth. Common symptoms of a tooth abscess include temperature and pressure sensitivity, facial swelling, fever, and throbbing pain. When a ruptured abscess occurs, it’s common to experience a sudden rush of pain relief followed by a foul taste in your mouth. This is the release of salty fluid inside the abscess from rupturing. If you experience an abscess or swelling, contact your Spoakne dentist right away.
Toothache
One of our top dental emergencies we see at Collins Dentistry & Aesthetics is toothaches. Before you contact us for a toothache, it’s important to figure out if there are any pieces of food or debris in the teeth. You can try to dislodge anything that’s stuck by swishing water around in your mouth, brushing your teeth, and flossing. If the toothache doesn’t go away after doing this, it’s likely there’s something else going on, and you need to contact our dentists.
Chipped, Broken, and Dislodged Tooth
If a tooth has become partially dislodged away from the socket, please contact us for a visit immediately. Until you make it to our office, apply a cold compress on the outside of your mouth on the cheek to keep swelling down.
If a tooth or teeth have chipped or broken, you’ll need to your dentists, doctors Ken and Marnie Collins, right away. Chipped and broken teeth have the potential to introduce bacteria into your mouth and eventually your gums, causing much larger, whole-body issues. Contact your dentist in Spokane right away if you chip, break, or dislodge a tooth.
Severe Mouth Pain
Severe mouth pain is a strong indication that something isn’t quite right. It’s not worth it to suffer from severe mouth pain because it’s not likely to go away on its own. You might need a root canal, dental crown, or dental filling to repair or replace the tooth that is cousin pain.
You might experience severe mouth pain from gum swollen or lacerated gums. This isn’t likely to go away on its own either unless you can pinpoint what action may have damaged your gums. If you can’t think of anything, there may be a larger bacteria issue that only your dentist in Spokane can fix.
Suspicious Spots on Gums or Teeth
A suspicious spot on your gums might be a canker sore, but if it is, you’ll likely recognize it as such. If you don’t think it’s a canker sore, call your emergency dentist in Spokane. Suspicious spots on your gums could lead to larger issues such as periodontal disease (gum disease) or oral cancer.
A suspicious spot on your teeth is usually decay. If you are in severe pain, your emergency dentist will get you in right away. Be sure to call 509-532-1111 for the best dental care in Spokane.
Orthodontic Emergency
Although an orthodontic emergency usually doesn’t cause severe pain or bleeding, it can disrupt your treatment. If you break a bracket or have a poking wire from your braces or damaged or lose an Invisalign aligner, it’s an emergency. Please contact us to resolve your problems so your treatment isn’t disrupted.
Mitigate Your Dental Emergency in Spokane
Do you have a dental emergency in Spokane? Don’t worry, our dentists, Drs. Ken and Marie Collins are available to help. Please stay calm and contact us by calling 509-532-1111 and be sure to tell us that you’re experiencing an emergency.