Emergency Dentist Mercerville

Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency? A variety of issues can cause a toothache, and yours may be an emergency if you experience symptoms like:

• Severe pain lasting longer than 24 hours
• Sharp pain when biting
• Intense dental sensitivity that lasts longer than 30 seconds
• A small bump forming on the gums by the pained tooth
• The painful tooth appearing darker than the other teeth
• Swelling, fever, or fatigue, which are symptoms of serious infection

How you should handle a toothache: Begin by flossing to make sure that the discomfort isn’t caused by something stuck between your teeth. If this doesn’t help, use an over-the-counter pain reliever and try rinsing with salt water to reduce inflammation and eliminate bacteria. Swelling and discomfort can often be diminished by applying a cold compress.

How we treat toothaches: How Dr. Lavery treats a toothache depends on what is causing it. If your problem is caused by an untreated cavity, we may be able to address it with a filling, but more serious infections may require gum disease treatment or a root canal. We may also recommend measures like dental crowns, tooth extractions, or wearing a nightguard if you grind your teeth at night.

Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency?  While a chipped tooth can usually wait a few days before being treated, it is still important to have it addressed soon. Leaving a chipped tooth untreated makes it more vulnerable to further damage and infection.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: Store any large pieces of your tooth that you can find in a clean container so you can bring them to our office. Then rinse your mouth with water to remove bacteria and any remaining dental shards. Refrain from chewing with the injured tooth and cover the damaged area with dental wax or sugar-free gum if it is sensitive or irritating your soft tissues.

How we treat chipped teeth: Dr. Lavery typically addresses a chipped tooth with cosmetic bonding, which involves filling the damaged area with tooth-colored composite resin to restore its strength and appearance. However, it may be best to restore a highly visible tooth with a veneer if you are especially concerned about its appearance.

Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency? Even the smallest crack can increase your tooth’s risk of infection and further damage, so it’s important to have cracks treated as soon as possible. Cracks are not always clearly visible, so you may have one that you can’t see if you experience dental pain or sensitivity after sustaining a blow to the face.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: Begin by rinsing your mouth with water to flush away bacteria. You can also take over-the-counter pain medication or apply a cold compress to address pain or swelling. It’s best to avoid chewing with the injured tooth, and you can cover it with dental wax or sugar-free gum if it is uncomfortably sensitive.

How we treat cracked teeth: Dr. Lavery usually treats a cracked tooth with a customized dental crown, but he may be able to address it with cosmetic bonding if the damage is minor enough. However, a tooth that is damaged beyond repair may require extraction. It’s best to replace lost teeth immediately, and we may recommend a restoration such as a dental implant.

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency? Sensitive teeth don’t usually count as a dental emergency. They mainly stem from a mild exposure of your tooth roots, over-aggressive brushing, an acidic diet, or bruxism. That said, they can be urgent when the sensitivity is severe, long-lasting, or only impacts one or two teeth. Such symptoms imply that you have a cracked tooth, a deep cavity, gum disease, or a tooth infection.

How you should handle very sensitive teeth: Firstly, take the time to call our office. Our dental team can outline whether you should treat the sensitivity at home or see us for urgent care. Either way, this guidance will start with some helpful home remedies. These include drinking warm water, avoiding certain foods, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers.

How we treat very sensitive teeth: Based on the cause of your tooth sensitivity, we have several possible ways to treat it. One is to suggest helpful oral products – desensitizing toothpaste, prescription mouthwash, a fluoride treatment, etc. Other options – especially when the root issue is gum disease or a tooth infection – include antibiotics, tooth-colored fillings, root canal treatment,  and so on.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency? Yes, it most certainly is. You should always consider a knocked-out tooth to be an urgent problem. If it isn’t treated quickly, you could suffer from permanent tooth loss. That means you should book a same-day visit to our office as soon as possible. If you delay too long, you could lose your pearly white for good.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: Your first move should be to find the now-lost tooth. Once (or if) you do, pick it up by the crown – touching a tooth’s roots will cause damage. You should then rinse and store it in milk or saline solution. That way, you can preserve it for up to an hour while waiting for a dental visit.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: So long as the tooth is alive and not too damaged, we may be able to re-implant it. It could then reintegrate with your bone and mouth tissues over time. The only other good option is to get a tooth replacement – a dental bridge, a dental implant, etc. If you don’t fill a smile gap quickly, it’ll cause various oral health problems for you.

Lost Filling or Crown  

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency? Dental restorations aren’t meant to be permanent, so a lost filling or crown usually isn’t an emergency. However, this loss does put your tooth at greater risk of an infection. You should still see a dentist about treatment right away.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: If you can, you should first locate the restoration and bring it to our office. Our team can temporarily reseal a crown when it’s in good enough shape. On the other hand, we don’t recommend the same for dental fillings.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns: As mentioned earlier, our team could reseat your restoration. If it’s lost or too damaged, though, we’ll give you a replacement instead.

Broken Denture

• Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Wearing a broken denture can lead to problems with your gums, soft tissues, jaws, and remaining teeth. Contact our office as soon as possible if the false teeth or base of your appliance have become damaged.
• How You Should Handle a Broken Denture: Do-it-yourself denture repair kits are neither safe nor effective. To have the damage addressed properly, contact Dr. Lavery’s office to schedule an appointment.
• How We Treat Broken Dentures: In cases of mild damage, we may be able to restore the artificial teeth with tooth-colored composite resin or adjust your denture so it fits well again. However, we will recommend replacement if the appliance has suffered severe damage like snapping in half.

Learn More About Dentures

Learn More About Dental Implants

Loose Permanent Tooth

• Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? A loose permanent tooth, also called an extruded or partially dislodged tooth, can happen due to infection or injury and is at greater risk of being lost. This makes it a dental emergency that you should report to Dr. Lavery as soon as possible.
• How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth: Call our office immediately to schedule a same-day appointment. Until then, avoid touching or chewing with the afflicted tooth. While you shouldn’t brush or floss at this time, you can clean your mouth by rinsing with warm water.
• How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth: We may be able to help a loose tooth reintegrate with its surrounding bone and gum tissue and address any underlying infections with periodontal therapy. However, we may need to extract and replace a tooth that cannot be saved.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Learn More About Dental Implants

Learn More About Gum Disease Therapy

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

• Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Oral trauma can cause lacerations to the gums, lips, and tongue, and we may be able to address cases of minor bleeding. Call our office to describe your symptoms and receive instructions as to what to do next.
• How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: Begin by gently rinsing the cut with water to flush away debris before applying pressure with a clean washcloth or gauze until the bleeding ceases. You can also use a cold compress to minimize discomfort and swelling.
• How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: We may be able to close a small cut with stitches, but head to your local ER if the cut is large or the bleeding doesn’t stop after ten minutes of applied pressure.

Jaw Pain

• Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? While jaw pain can be a daily nuisance, it isn’t usually a dental emergency. Contact our office if the pain becomes chronic to prevent serious oral health problems.
• How You Should Handle Jaw Pain: We’ll be happy to offer first-aid tips when you call our office to schedule your appointment. You can temporarily relieve swelling and discomfort using over-the-counter pain relievers or an ice pack. However, head to the ER if you believe your jaw is broken or dislocated.
• How We Treat Jaw Pain: We offer a range of services designed to adjust a misaligned jaw so it can function comfortably again. We may also recommend wearing a customized mouthguard to reduce the strain caused by teeth grinding and clenching.

Learn More About Nightguards for Bruxism

Learn More About TMJ Therapy

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

While having a stubborn object stuck between your teeth isn’t usually a dental emergency, it can be quite distressing. Contact our office to describe the situation so we can recommend an appropriate way to remove it at home or schedule an appointment. Never attempt to remove debris from between your teeth using sharp objects like toothpicks or tweezers. Instead, try flossing or rinsing vigorously with water. If needed, Dr. Lavery can safely and gently remove an object that is too difficult to dislodge on your own.