Dental emergencies are never fun, but you can be proactive and avoid them if you have a little bit of solid information and expert support from your local Southern California dentist at Downey Dental Arts. Always call us right away at (562) 445-3363 if you might be experiencing a dental emergency in Downey.
We’ve compiled the following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help you prepare for and respond in a dental emergency.
A dental emergency is any urgent problem that relates to the teeth, gums, and mouth that needs immediate care. Common dental emergencies include losing a tooth via an accident, a severe toothache, excessive bleeding, or a critical problem with a dental appliance such as braces.
First, don’t panic. Call our Downey Dental Arts office immediately at (562) 445-3363 at any time of the day or night. Our answering service will deliver instructions. We also recommend going straight to the emergency room for serious accidents such as a row of teeth being lost in an accident, alarming levels of bleeding, or a knocked-out tooth if it is after hours (see below).
While many dental emergencies involve some level of pain, not all do. If a braces bracket breaks off completely, this might constitute an emergency, but it may not be that painful.
A dental emergency is urgent and needs to be attended to as soon as possible. However, in some cases, your dental problem may not be so urgent that you need to see a dentist immediately. It might still be critical and important but not immediate.
The challenge is that sometimes it can be difficult to tell what is an urgent emergency that must be taken care of immediately vs. an urgent non-emergency that can wait a day or two for treatment. When in doubt, call us right away at (562) 445-3363, and we will let you know. If we are not available for certain situations, such as a knocked-out tooth and heavy bleeding, go to your nearest hospital emergency room.
Get seen by a dentist or a doctor within an hour of a tooth being knocked out to save the tooth. First, rinse off the tooth in clean water. Do not remove the tooth pulp or tissue. If the tooth cannot be returned to the tooth socket, store the tooth in milk for transit. The tooth can also be held in the mouth with generous saliva protecting it. If we can’t see you right away, go to the nearest emergency room.
The cost of a specific dental emergency may range from a few hundred dollars or less to a few thousand. Don’t worry, however. Your dental insurance may cover some or all of the costs, and we can help with financing and easy payment plans. The cost of not seeing a dentist if you have a dental emergency will be much higher in the long run.
If you have any questions or think you might be experiencing a dental emergency, contact us right away by calling (562) 445-3363 to get help at Downey Dental Arts.
