Not all dental emergencies require urgent care; however, for some, time is of the essence. At Bradford Dental Care, we know how much it means to have a dependable team of experts ready and willing to help, which is why we offer same-day and after-hours appointments for those with dental injuries. By calling our office in Haverhill and alerting us to the situation, our emergency dentists can work quickly to eliminate pain and administer fast yet comfortable care when restoring your smile.
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
Treating a dental emergency requires that we first know about the situation, which means you will need to call our office right away. Once we better understand the severity of the injury, we can determine how quickly you need to come in for treatment. We do our best to get patients in on the same day, even providing after-hours appointments.
Once you are in a treatment chair, we will address the pain and begin examining the affected area, taking digital scans and images if necessary. One of our dentists will analyze the findings to create a treatment plan that indicates which restorative treatment will be most effective.
Many emergencies can be treated with antibiotics, a dental filling, a dental crown, a root canal, or tooth extraction. If we can administer care the same day, we will, but if not, we will schedule a time for you to come in at a later date.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
When faced with a dental emergency, you may be unsure whether you should see your dentist or visit the ER. While certain circumstances warrant immediate medical attention (i.e., broken jaw, excessive bleeding, increased swelling), most injuries can be treated in our Haverhill dental office.
Toothaches
Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? There are some cases when toothaches warrant immediate care, including if you’re experiencing a sharp, stabbing pain when biting down, there is a crack in your enamel, or there is a pimple-like bump on your gums.
How You Should Handle a Toothache Until your appointment at our office, we recommend not chewing on that side of your mouth, steering clear of acidic, spicy, and sugary foods, using a cold compress for 10 minutes at a time, and taking OTC pain medication as directed.
How We Treat Toothaches During your visit with our emergency dentist in Haverhill, they will complete a comprehensive oral exam to determine how severe the damage is. Then, they can discuss the different treatments available and help you decide the best way to proceed.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Cracked Tooth
Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes! So, don’t wait – call us right away if you can see a crack in your enamel or you suspect there is one due to the symptoms you’re experiencing, like persistent sensitivity.
How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth Over the phone, a helpful member of our team at Bradford Dental Care will schedule an emergency appointment and walk you through what to do to protect your tooth from breaking further in the meantime, including eating only extremely soft foods and not chewing on that side of your mouth.
How We Treat Cracked Teeth First, we will determine if your tooth can be saved with a dental crown. If it can’t, then we will need to extract it. The good news is that there won’t be a gap in your smile for long; we can fill it with a custom dental bridge or implant.
Chipped Teeth
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Not usually. With that said, there are some cases that require emergency dental care, including if the chip is so severe that it’s causing immense pain.
How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth If you have any broken pieces of your tooth, you should store them in a small, clean container and bring them to our office. Outside of that, do what you can to protect your tooth and the soft tissue in your mouth, like covering it with some dental wax or sugar-free gum.
How We Treat Chipped Teeth Veneers, dental bonding, and metal-free restorations can all be used to fix a chipped tooth. Ultimately, the one that’s best for you will depend on a few factors, including the severity of the chip, the type of tooth, and your budget.
Very Sensitive Teeth
Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? While we do recommend calling us right away, the urgency of the situation depends largely on your symptoms. For example, if you’re experiencing considerable sensitivity that’s getting worse with each passing day, we will likely recommend a same-day visit.
How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth: To alleviate your discomfort in the short term, we recommend sticking to room-temperature water, avoiding spicy, sugary, and acidic foods, and using a desensitizing toothpaste.
How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth: Once you arrive at our office, we will complete a comprehensive oral exam. Then, we will share our findings, review your treatment options, and help you decide which restorative treatment is best for you.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Knocked-Out Tooth
Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Since the tooth starts to die after only 15 minutes, it’s important that you act fast. Call us ASAP so we can schedule an appointment at our office within the hour and guide you through what to do to preserve the root surface cells of your tooth.
How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth: If you have your tooth, then try putting it back in its socket. If that would require force, then place it in a clean container filled with milk instead.
How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth: Our primary goal is to preserve as much of your natural smile as possible. However, there are some cases when that’s simply not an option. For instance, if you’re visiting us because you lost a tooth in Haverhill, then we will need to replace it with the next best thing: a dental bridge or implant.
LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS
Lost Filling or Crown
Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? If you can’t get to our office right away because it’s the middle of the night or you’re out of town, don’t stress – your tooth isn’t in immediate danger. With that said, it is vulnerable to harm, so we do recommend coming to our office as soon as you can.
How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown: There are a few steps we recommend taking in addition to scheduling an appointment at our Haverhill dental office, including rinsing your mouth periodically with clean, room-temperature water, not chewing on that side of your mouth, and keeping your restoration in a small, clean container for safekeeping.
How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns: While dental fillings are usually replaced with a new one, that’s not always necessary with dental crowns. For example, if you arrive at our office with a perfectly intact dental crown that’s relatively new, then we may be able to re-cement it back in place.
Broken Dentures
Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? A broken denture in Haverhill is considered a dental emergency because continuing to wear it can cause it to break further and irritate your mouth. So, don’t wait – reach out to our team at Bradford Dental Care right away.
How You Should Handle a Broken Denture: Instead of continuing to wear your denture, place it in its designated case and bring it with you to our office. In the meantime, stick to extremely soft foods, like plain yogurt, applesauce, and cottage cheese.
How We Treat Broken Dentures: If the damage is relatively minor, then we may be able to repair your denture at our office. If that’s not possible, then we will either send it to the dental lab or begin the process of having a new one made.
LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS
Loose Permanent Tooth
Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, a loose permanent tooth is a dental injury that warrants same-day care. That’s why it’s so important that you call us right away. The sooner you do, the sooner we can alleviate any pain you’re experiencing and provide the restorative care that you need.
How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth: In addition to calling us, we recommend taking measures to prevent the tooth from breaking further. That starts with avoiding crunchy foods and extends to not chewing on that side of your mouth.
How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth: Fortunately, teeth that are slightly loose can often be saved with a dental splint. If that’s not possible because the tooth cannot be saved, then we will need to perform an extraction before filling the newly open space with a dental bridge or implant.
Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue
Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Soft tissue injuries like these can usually be handled quickly at home and, therefore, do not require an emergency trip to our office.
How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: First, rinse your mouth thoroughly, but gently, with clean water. Then, locate the cut and apply pressure to it with some gauze or a damp, clean washcloth. Once the bleeding has stopped, you can use a cold compress or a towel-wrapped icepack to alleviate any lingering puffiness.
How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: As we mentioned above, soft tissue injuries don’t usually require a trip to our Haverhill office. However, you should call 911 or head to the ER if the cut is bleeding uncontrollably or you’re experiencing any other potentially life-threatening symptoms.
Jaw Pain
Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Not usually, no. With that said, you shouldn’t hesitate to give us a call if you’re dealing with persistent jaw pain, especially if it is getting worse with each passing day.
How You Should Handle Jaw Pain: Until we pinpoint the root of the problem, we recommend using a cold compress, taking OTC pain medication, and sticking to extremely soft foods.
How We Treat Jaw Pain: If you’re in your late teens or early 20s, there’s a good chance that your wisdom teeth are the culprit. If we confirm that’s the case during your exam, then we will need to extract them to alleviate the discomfort you’re experiencing.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTIONS
Something Stuck Between the Teeth
If you get something stuck between your teeth, don’t try to remove it with something sharp, like a toothpick. Instead, rinse your mouth thoroughly with warm saltwater and use floss to gently remove the debris. If it remains firmly in place, then call our office.
