Urgent Care Q & A
What is an urgent care dentist?
Urgent care dentists treat mouth and dental injuries that require immediate attention. Dental emergencies typically occur when you need to save a broken or knocked-out tooth. Making it to Glenwood Dental Care within half an hour of your mouth or tooth injury gives you the best chance to save your tooth.
Is it time to call an urgent care dentist?
When your child urgently needs to see a pediatric dentist or when you’ve got an urgent dental issue yourself, Glenwood Dental Care can help. Common dental emergencies include:
- Knocked-out teeth
- A loose permanent tooth
- Severe tooth or mouth pain
- Continuous bleeding inside your mouth from your tongue, gums, or cheeks
- An injury to your face or mouth
- Swelling in your mouth, gums, or tongue
- A badly fractured or cracked tooth
- A laceration or tear on your lips
Chipping a tooth doesn't always warrant emergency dental care. If your tooth is chipped but it doesn't appear as if you'll lose the tooth entirely, it's probably not a dental emergency. Even so, it’s a good idea to contact one of the experienced dentists at Glenwood Dental Care so they can tell you how to handle your tooth until you get to the office.
What do I do with a knocked-out tooth?
A knocked-out tooth is one of the most severe dental emergencies. It can result in tooth loss if you don’t take action fast. Rinse your mouth and tooth with warm water, being careful not to touch the tooth by its roots.
As you rinse the tooth, hold it by the top part (the crown). Try to place it back into the socket in your gum where it came out. Try to gently bite down until you can get to Glenwood Dental Care. Call the office immediately, or have someone call for you.
If the tooth can’t go back into the empty socket, hold it in your mouth next to your cheek or keep it in a glass of milk. The moisture helps prevent the roots from drying out.
Your dentist needs to do at least a partial dental cleaning to remove any bacteria that’s entered the tooth socket. Although the tooth can often be saved, you may need a tooth extraction if the damage is too severe. In that case, a dental implant provides a natural-looking replacement.
Get immediate emergency dental care at Glenwood Dental Care by booking an appointment online or by phone.