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Northwest Dental of Corvallis
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Emergency Dental Care For Urgent Oral Problems

We can treat a variety of traumatic dental injuries, including teeth that have been chipped, moved, or knocked out entirely. Please call our office for assistance. If you have a life-threatening or severe injury, call 911 or go directly to the nearest hospital emergency room.

Quick Treatment Can Save a Tooth or Stop Infection

Problems with your teeth or gums are never pleasant, but it’s important to understand the difference between a standard dental problem that can wait until a scheduled day appointment and a real emergency that can threaten your health, requiring urgent care.

Learn More About Emergency Dentistry

Any issue requiring immediate dental services in order to alleviate serious dental pain, stop bleeding, or save a tooth is considered an emergency. Any infections in the mouth that could spread elsewhere in the body and become serious or life-threatening medical issues are also dental emergencies.

To determine if you need emergency dentistry services, consider the following questions:

  • Have you had a tooth knocked out? If treated quickly, the tooth could potentially be saved.
  • Are you experiencing bleeding or severe pain? If bleeding or pain is focused exclusively in the mouth, contact emergency dentists for urgent dental work. If you’re also experiencing bleeding or pain elsewhere in your body, go to the emergency room of your local hospital.
  • Do you have an infection? Gums that are red, swollen, or have bumps on them, or a swollen face may signal a dental infection. A tooth abscess or other serious infection in the mouth could spread elsewhere in your body, causing a more serious or even potentially life-threatening medical problem. Infections should receive emergency treatment at a dental clinic as soon as possible.
  • Do you have loose teeth? Adult teeth should never be loose. Even without pain, a loose tooth signals a serious problem.

The most common emergencies requiring treatment in a dentist’s office are:

  • Unexplainable toothache. Toothaches are not just a painful nuisance or something you should take lightly. They are your body’s way of telling you that something is not right in your mouth. When you experience sudden and unexplainable tooth pain, seek emergency care in a dental office to treat the issue.
  • Swollen or bleeding gums. Although occasional gum irritation is not a dental emergency, gums that won’t stop bleeding, especially if accompanied by pain and swelling, can indicate an underlying dental or health issue.
  • Swollen jaw or mouth. A jaw or mouth with unexplained swelling may indicate an infection that requires an emergency dental appointment.
  • Exposed nerves. Exposed nerves are an excruciating experience that will only get worse if you wait to see your dentist. To prevent infections, further nerve damage, or more extensive emergency dental treatments, seek immediate dental assistance as soon as possible.
  • Knocked-out tooth. Having a tooth suddenly knocked out due to injury can be quite a shock! But quick emergency care may save your tooth.
  • A broken or cracked tooth. In many instances, emergency dentistry can prevent having the broken or cracked teeth extracted.
  • Missing filling. Depending on the size and location of the filling, having it fall out may compromise the structure of your tooth and cause it to chip or break easily.
  • Broken crown. When a dental crown breaks or falls off completely, it leaves your tooth exposed, and vulnerable to infection and damage. By scheduling an emergency dental visit to replace the crown, you may avoid needing a root canal, extraction, or other dental procedure.
  • Abscessed tooth. An abscess occurs when a pocket of pus in the tooth has led to an infection. This requires immediate care, as the infect can spread elsewhere in the body, causing serious complications.
  • Food or object lodged between teeth. When a piece of food or another object becomes lodged between your teeth and no amount of brushing or flossing will remove it, it may cause your teeth to shift, gum irritation, gum disease, tooth decay, or even an infection.

Knocked-out tooth:

1. Carefully pick up the tooth by the top part (the crown.) It is important to avoid touching the root.
2. Carefully rinse the tooth with water without scrubbing.
3. If possible, reinsert the tooth fully into its socket.
4. If you are not able to reinsert the tooth, place it in a glass of milk or water.
5. Get to the dentist as quickly as possible.

Cracked or broken tooth:
1. Rinse your mouth with warm water.
2. Applying a cold compress to your cheek can help reduce swelling.
3. You may take acetaminophen to minimize pain.
4. Avoid using a pain killer or numbing gel, as it could damage your gums and impede treatment.

Dental abscess:
1. Rinse your mouth with warm water to draw the pus to the surface and alleviate the pain.

During a dental emergency, the last thing you want to think about is whether you can afford treatment. Many dental insurance plans cover dental emergencies. Our staff will explain your dental coverage options while providing optimal emergency care.

Call Us Today

If you have a dental emergency, don’t delay. Contact us right away to receive immediate treatment from your dentist and our trusted dental team.

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