Dental emergencies can be some of the most painful and inconvenient accidents, but they can
happen to anyone. The question is, what do you do when it happens? Will you be prepared, or will
you find yourself scrambling?
Whether you have a throbbing toothache, you chipped on one your teeth, your filling came out or
your gums are infected, it’s not the right time to schedule an appointment for over a month away.
Most dental offices offer some kind of emergency care, but it’s important to know what your dentist
offers for a time of emergency.
These painful accidents can be unbearable since we need our mouth for almost all daily activities.
Believe me, it’s hard to have a simple conversation at work or even eat when your tooth is
throbbing in pain. It may be helpful for you to find out if you can schedule an appointment with
your dentist’s office online in case your mouth hurts too much to speak with someone over the
phone. If your dentist does not offer online scheduling, most do have an emergency phone line
that you can call after hours to make sure your appointment is the first thing set up in the
morning. Emergencies don’t always happen during regular 9-5 business hours, so many dentists
are accommodating to this. Some dental offices are even open for a few hours after 5 to
accommodate their full-time working patients.
Many dental offices offer walk-in appointments for emergencies and they will try to squeeze in
emergency patients between late scheduled patients and cancellations. However, if this is all your
dental office offers, you may be in for a long and painful wait in the waiting room. There’s a reason
most dental offices have movies playing in their waiting rooms, it’s not easy to squeeze in so many
last minute patients. Despite how much pain you might be in, a gentle and kind attitude towards
the staff can go a long way.
If you are experiencing the following symptoms, do not hesitate to get ahold of your dentist
immediately or the problem could become worse:
Bleeding that isn’t stopping, painful swelling, a loose or knocked out tooth, severe jaw pain, or a
painful toothache.
If the problem gets worse and you can't get ahold of your dentist, you may end up having to make
a trip to the emergency room. Even if you do go to the emergency room to get an x-ray or pain
medicine, it’s still important to contact your dentist since dentists don’t usually work in emergency
rooms.
Don’t wait until you’re in pain, talk to your dentist’s office and find out what your emergency
options are so that next time something happens, you’re prepared!