Same Day Dentist
Are You Experiencing a True Dental Emergency?
Dental emergencies can be scary, painful, and inconvenient, but you can’t ignore the problem until it goes away. Severe dental damage or extreme pain requires quick dental care so you can get relief and avoid extensive complications.
If you are experiencing any of the following circumstances, contact your Bethesda same day dentist right away to find out if you need to be seen in the office:
- Dislodged tooth
- Knocked out tooth
- Severe tooth pain
- Broken tooth
- Lost crown or filling
- Bleeding gums
- Cracked tooth
- Damaged dental work
- Chipped tooth
- Injured jaw
Don’t worry if you’re not sure if your dental problem qualifies as an emergency. It is always better to be cautious and get an accurate diagnosis from your same day dentist. A true emergency does not go away on its own – don’t try to wait until your next teeth cleaning to have your oral health issue looked at.
Don’t Panic: Things to Know About Dental Emergencies
There are different degrees of dental emergencies. Don’t assume that something is nothing, or assume that something is far worse than it is just because it looks bad. Reach out to your same day dentist and allow them to make the call. In the meantime, keep the following in mind to help ward off panic:
- Blood may just be blood: The mouth contains many very small capillaries and blood vessels. One minor injury can produce a lot of blood, but it doesn’t always mean that something very bad has happened. Don’t ignore the blood, but there is no need to panic about it either.
- Your tooth could be saved: If you have the misfortune of getting a tooth dislodged or knocked out, you need dental care immediately, but there is always a possibility the tooth can be saved.
- Listen to your pain: Pain is a warning sign. Even though your teeth might look fine and there are no obvious dental problems in progress, pain means something is probably wrong under the gumline – and the complication will only intensify without treatment.
- Admit that you have a problem: No one wants a dental emergency, especially if it’s the middle of the night, on vacation, or over the weekend, but it’s necessary to make time for the problem right away before it becomes debilitating and causes serious damage.
Emergency Dental Care from Bethesda Same Day Dentist
Every emergency dental case is unique and your dentist will approach it without any preconceived notions. There are some common treatments though that many patients find themselves needing as they’re dealing with acute oral health problems, including:
- Root canal therapy: Serious tooth pain is often the sign of a deep infection. Root canal therapy eliminates pain and can save a tooth from extraction.
- Tooth-colored filling: If you have a large cavity, the decay can often be corrected and the pain stopped with a tooth-colored filling.
- Tooth extraction: Worst case scenario is the pulling of a tooth – your dentist wants you to keep your natural teeth as long as possible. Unfortunately, sometimes damage is so great that there is no alternative.
Your dentist may recommend a porcelain crown, dental bonding, or similar cosmetic treatments after these emergency repairs, but they are most likely to happen later.
Get the dental care you need right away from your same day dentist in Bethesda. Contact Bethesda Family Dental right away at (301) 265-2400.
