Emergency Dentistry – North Attleboro, MA

Toothaches

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? If you’ve heard that toothaches can be ignored, they can’t. Remember, pain is a warning sign that something is wrong! To ensure that we intervene at the earliest possible stage, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our North Attleboro emergency dentist when your symptoms first surface.

How You Should Handle a Toothache The worst thing you can do is cross your fingers and hope that your toothache will go away on its own. Instead, take active measures to protect your tooth, starting with scheduling an appointment with us and extending to not chewing on that side of your mouth. If you’re experiencing a lot of discomfort, you may also want to take an OTC pain reliever.

How We Treat Toothaches The treatment we recommend depends largely on two factors: what’s causing your toothache and how severe it is. As a result, we can intervene with everything from a tooth-colored filling to root canal therapy and a dental crown – we’ll do what’s best for the look, function, and health of your smile.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOT CANAL THERAPY

Chipped Tooth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Chipped teeth do more than just impact the look of your smile; they can also quickly result in oral health problems, like infections and persistent sensitivity. So, even if the chip seems small and you aren’t in any pain, this dental injury does warrant a call to our North Attleboro dental office.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth There are three main steps. First, call us to schedule an appointment. Second, use clean, lukewarm water to gently rinse your mouth. Third, cover the tooth with dental wax or some sugar-free gum.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth Cosmetic dental bonding is a popular treatment for chipped teeth because it’s quick and painless. However, patients also love veneers because they are longer lasting. In fact, they can last for several decades with proper care!

LEARN MORE ABOUT VENEERS

Cracked Tooth

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Even if the crack is minor, this is a dental emergency. We recommend scheduling a same-day appointment with our North Attleboro team so we can fix your tooth before an infection develops or the crack becomes more severe.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth Here are the steps we recommend taking: scheduling an appointment with our team, rinsing your mouth with clean, room-temperature water, not eating anything hard or crunchy, and taking an OTC pain reliever as instructed.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth Saving your natural teeth is always our top priority. The good news is that dental crowns often allow us to do just that! Of course, if the crack is so severe that it’s better to have the tooth removed, then we will do that instead. Then, we will review the available tooth-replacement solutions, like dental implants, to ensure there isn’t a gap in your smile for long.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency? Tooth sensitivity normally lasts for a few seconds after a tooth is overstimulated and doesn’t constitute a dental emergency. However, if the pain is severe, occurs frequently, or is accompanied by other symptoms, it could be a more serious issue.

How you should handle sensitive teeth: First, call us and describe your symptoms. Depending on your situation, we may offer different advice. However, you can start by rinsing your mouth with lukewarm water and keep up with your oral hygiene routine This will decrease the amount of food particles and acids that could affect your teeth. Over-the-counter pain relievers can also help with discomfort until you can see us.

How we treat tooth sensitivity: Weakened enamel due to cavities, infection, and aggressive brushing can all lead to tooth sensitivity, so we’ll need to assess your situation at your consultation to see which way to take your treatment. Possible treatments could include medicated toothpaste and rinses, gum disease treatment, fillings, root canal treatment, and antibiotics.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency? A knocked-out tooth is one of the most serious and time-sensitive dental emergencies. Once a permanent tooth has been knocked out, it has a lifespan of around 30 minutes to an hour, so you’ll need to act fast.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: First, take the tooth by the crown (the chewing part) and rinse it with cool water. Be sure not to scrub the tooth or use any soap as it could damage the connective tissues still attached. Next, place the tooth in a small container with milk, saliva, or an American Dental Association-approved tooth preservation kit. This will keep it viable until you can get an appointment with us.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: In most cases, we will reimplant the tooth and use a splint to keep it held in place while it heals. However, if the tooth is too damaged or becomes non-viable, we’ll need to discuss replacement options with you to preserve your oral health. Dentures, bridges, and dental implants are all great solutions that can help you smile again!

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency? Though losing a dental restoration can be distressing, it’s not an urgent emergency. Still, you’ll need to take precautions because without it to protect your tooth, it’s vulnerable to bacteria, plaque, acids, and sugars. So, call us as soon as it happens so we can quickly schedule your appointment.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: First, try to locate the lost restoration and store it for safekeeping. If you lost a crown and it’s undamaged, you can use dental cement to temporarily reattach it.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns: If your restoration is fairly new and undamaged, we can bond it back into place. However, if your crown or filling is older, we’ll most likely replace it to keep your tooth and oral health safe.

Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? Honestly, a broken denture is a dental emergency. It could cause injuries to your teeth, gums, and soft mouth tissues if you keep wearing it. For that reason, you should quickly call your dentist if your denture’s teeth or base gets damaged.

How you should handle a broken denture: For starters, you shouldn’t put the broken denture in your mouth. Using it would only harm your mouth, putting your oral health at greater risk. You also shouldn’t try fixing the device yourself, as that would worsen things. The better option is to have a local and qualified dentist repair your replacement teeth.

How we treat broken dentures: Here at our practice, we have several ways to treat broken dentures. One method is to fill small chips or cracks with resin if the damage is minor. On the other hand, we can also readjust the denture with a thorough reline. There’s also the idea of replacing the device or switching to implant dentures.

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a loose permanent tooth a dental emergency? A loose permanent tooth is a dental emergency, as it’s supposed to stay secure. Partially dislodged teeth are highly likely to fall out even when they don’t hurt. When that happens, they create smile gaps that lead to tooth decay and gum disease. The spaces can also tilt your other teeth until they fall out.

How you should handle loose permanent teeth: The best movie is to call our office as soon as possible; quick treatment for a loose tooth can save it. From there, make sure you don’t touch or use the loosened area while waiting for care. You could also rinse your mouth with warm water to clear out debris.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: Even if your tooth is loose, we’ll always try to save it before looking at other options. We could provide a dental splint or perform other measures. That said, we may have to extract the tooth if it can’t be saved. Our team would then place dental implants or dental bridges as substitutes.

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue  

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? If it’s pretty severe, an injury to your gums, lips  or tongue can be a dental emergency. Something like a deep cut could bleed a lot and require urgent care. In fact, that outcome is more likely if you play contact sports that involve collisions.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: Firstly, clean the injured area gently with water; you’ll need to rinse the debris from your mouth. Next, apply pressure with a clean washcloth (or gauze) until the bleeding stops. If there’s any swelling or pain, you can use an ice pack or cold compress to reduce the symptoms.  

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: Our dentists can clean your wound and stitch it closed if it isn’t too big. Still, go to an ER first if any bleeding doesn’t stop within ten minutes.

 Jaw Pain  

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? Jaw pain isn’t often a dental emergency, but it can be annoying and lower your quality of life. The ache only counts as an urgent issue if it’s severe and chronic.

How you should handle jaw pain:  It’s best to call our office, as we’ll share detailed instructions with you over the phone. Our tips may range from taking painkillers to using an ice pack (or cold compress) to reduce swelling and similar symptoms. As needed, we may also advise you to visit an ER if your jaw is broken or dislocated; we’ll gladly fix up your smile afterward.

How we treat jaw pain: At our office, we have several methods for treating jaw pain. One go-to is a custom-made mouthguard that stops you from grinding your teeth. Another is TMJ treatment, which addresses problems with your jaw’s joints. If you broke or dislocated your jaw, we can fix damaged or lost teeth after your ER visit.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

In most cases, an object stuck between your teeth isn’t an emergency; it’s often harmless and comes out on its own. That said, feel free to see us if it’s causing you a lot of pain. Just make sure you don’t use tweezers or toothpicks on it in the meantime. At most, see if you can dislodge it by flossing near the affected area or rinsing your mouth. Our dentists will use their skills to help if that doesn’t work.