Emergency Dentist – Moorestown, NJ

Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency? Not all toothaches are dental emergencies. Often, pain in your teeth can stem from minor issues. However, the aches are urgent when caused by severe health problems. Your own may be an emergency if you have one (or more) of the following:

• Pain that’s intense or lasts over 24 hours
• A sharp ache from biting down
• Pained teeth that look darker than adjacent ones
• Tooth sensitivity that persists for more than 30 seconds
• Gum bumps near the affected tooth
• Dental infection symptoms (swelling, fever, fatigue, etc.)

How you should handle a toothache: Firstly, try to assess the area for signs of trapped food or debris. You can do so by flossing near the tooth. If there’s no debris, another option is to take an over-the-counter painkiller. You could then rinse with saltwater to ease inflammation, or use a cold compress to reduce swelling. The final step is to visit your local emergency dentist.

How we treat toothaches: Our office must first assess your tooth to learn the cause of its ache. Afterward, we can suggest suitable treatment options. These could include fillings, root canal therapy, periodontal therapy, etc. Once applied, they’d ensure your oral health recovers.

Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency? Most chipped teeth don’t qualify as dental emergencies. However, it’s still a wise move to have them treated quickly. Leaving a chip alone risks letting it grow larger or expose inner tooth layers. Should that happen, you could suffer severe dental damage or decay.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: If you can, find the chipped tooth piece and store it in a clean and clear container. You should then rinse your mouth – this step clears away bacteria and leftover shards. Finally, don’t use the injured tooth to bite or chew.

How we treat chipped teeth: Depending on the chip’s severity, our team could fill in your tooth’s damaged areas with a composite resin (the same material used for fillings). There’s also the choice to get a dental veneer if you’re more concerned about aesthetics.

Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency? A cracked tooth isn’t urgent when the damage is minor. Even so, a severe crack should be treated right away; it could lead to infected tooth pulp. You should also note that not all cracks are visible. If you tooth gets sensitive or aches when biting down, you may have hidden damage due to a face injury.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: You should first rinse your mouth with water to remove harmful microbes near the tooth. Next, you could take some store-bought pain relievers or use a cold compress. Either action is a fine way to ease any pain or swelling. Lastly, protect the tooth until your dental visit by not chewing near it.

How we treat cracked teeth: If the damaged portion is minimal, our team could apply composite resin to hide the tooth’s crack. Major damage would warrant a custom dental crown to cover the cracked area. As a last resort, you could also extract and replace the tooth.

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency? Tooth sensitivity can often be a sign of something more serious, such as disease or an infection. The sooner you’re able to visit your dentist for treatment, the quicker you can return to comfortable oral health.

How you should handle sensitive teeth: To avoid worsening the sensitive tooth, make sure to refrain from eating anything particularly spicy, acidic, hot, or cold. Do not apply pressure to the tooth/teeth, such as biting down on food, as this can cause discomfort. Stick to softer foods and keep away from chewing on that side of your mouth. You can also take pain relievers to help alleviate discomfort.

How we treat tooth sensitivity: Your tooth sensitivity can be due to things like gum disease, cavities, damaged teeth, physical trauma to the mouth, too much teeth whitening, and even aggressive brushing. Our team will evaluate your situation and determine a proper treatment plan, which may include desensitizing toothpaste, prescription mouthwash, antibiotics, fluoride treatment, tooth-colored fillings, or gum disease treatment. For more serious complications, we might have to consider root canals or tooth extractions.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency? A knocked-out tooth is a very serious emergency and will need to be treated as quickly as possible. You’ll have to visit your dentist within 30-60 minutes to increase your chance of saving the tooth while it’s still viable. Until you can get to the dental office, you’ll need to keep your tooth safe and healthy.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: Rinse off the tooth to get rid of any debris before trying to place it back in its socket. Make sure to only hold it by its crown, as touching the roots can accidentally impede its viability. If you aren’t able to hold it in its socket, try storing it in a small container of milk or saline solution to keep it moist. DO NOT place it in water, as the particles can end up damaging the root surface cells.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: If you’re able to reach our office within an hour after knocking out your tooth, our team will do everything we can to save it. This may involve splinting it to a nearby healthy tooth to support it while it recovers. If the tooth is too damaged or isn’t viable anymore, we’ll then discuss your alternative tooth replacement options, such as a dental bridge, denture, or implants.

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency? Losing a crown or filling isn’t typically an urgent situation, since these restorations will eventually need to be replaced later on anyway. However, you don’t want to leave the underlying tooth exposed to potential bacteria and damage. Make sure to visit your dentist sooner rather than later to get back to enjoying a healthy and comfortable smile.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: Refrain from chewing on that part of your mouth until you’re able to see your dentist. Avoid acidic and crunchy foods, as these can cause discomfort to the exposed tooth. Rinse your mouth with salt water to clean your tooth/teeth and disinfect the area. You might try using dental wax or toothpaste to temporarily keep the dental crown in place. The same should NOT be done with a filling.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns: Bring your lost filling or crown with you to your appointment if possible. Our team may be able to re-bond it to your tooth if we determine that it’s still viable. If it’s beyond repair, we’ll likely replace it with a new one. We’ll also evaluate your mouth to see why the problem happened in the first place so that we may avoid it in the future.

Broken Dentures

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? It may seem more like an inconvenience, but a damaged denture requires a visit with one of our dentures. It may have sharp edges that lacerate the inside of your gums, lips, or cheeks. Plus, bacteria can thrive in any chips or cracks and increase the risk of gum disease.

How to handle a broken denture: You shouldn’t wear your prosthetics if they’re broken. You could scratch the tender tissues inside your mouth or injure it further. Also, don’t try to superglue it or fix it at home because many products aren’t biocompatible and can be toxic.

How we treat broken dentures: The solution for your dentures depends on the severity of their condition. In some cases, composite resin can be used to fill in minor fractures or chips. However, you may need to replace them altogether so that you have a properly fitted restoration. If you continue to have problems with them being harmed or slipping out of place, you might benefit from other options like implant dentures.

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a loose permanent tooth a dental emergency? If you’ve sustained an injury or have a bite misalignment, your teeth may become extruded or partially dislodged. Even if you’re not in pain, they’re at an increased risk of falling out, and you should contact us for an appointment as soon as possible. 

How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: The first thing to do is call our office right away. Then, avoid touching it or eating any overly hard or sticky foods. You can rinse with warm salt water to clean your mouth, but you should avoid brushing and flossing.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: Sometimes, a bone graft can rebuild the foundation necessary to keep your tooth. However, if it can’t be saved, we may have to extract and replace it.

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? If you’ve suffered cuts to the soft tissues in your mouth, you may experience bleeding and discomfort. Unfortunately, this problem is not uncommon for athletes or those who participate in contact sports. Our team can help you with these kinds of minor injuries.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: First, cleanse the area gently with water to eradicate germs and debris. Then, press a clean washcloth or folded piece of gauze against the wound until the bleeding stops. You can apply an ice pack or cold compress to reduce swelling and provide temporary relief.

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: If necessary, one of our dentists can stitch the wound closed to stop bleeding and prevent an infection. However, if bleeding doesn’t slow or gets worse after 10 to 15 minutes, we may refer you to the local emergency room.

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? If you have a suddenly stiff, aching, or locked jaw that hinders your ability to eat, speak, and smile normally, then you should contact us for an appointment immediately.

How you should handle jaw pain: If your jawbone is broken or dislocated, head to your local emergency room immediately. Otherwise, it’s usually safe to take over-the-counter pain medications like Tylenol or ibuprofen to reduce throbbing and inflammation. An ice pack or cold compress can also provide a temporary numbing sensation.

How we treat jaw pain: If your discomfort is due to bruxism or teeth grinding, our team can fit you with an occlusal splint. This oral device is worn at night like a mouthguard to reposition your jaw so that it can relax and heal better.

Learn More About Occlusal Splints

Jaw Pain

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Is something stuck between the teeth a dental emergency? Although having something jammed between your teeth can be frustrating, it’s not always a dental emergency. However, if you’re in a significant amount of paint or unable to remove the object, contact us for assistance.

How to handle something stuck between the teeth: You should avoid using household items like tweezers, toothpicks, or utensils to try to dislodge the item because you could damage your teeth or gums. Instead, try flossing gently or vigorously rinsing your mouth with water to loosen it.

How we treat something stuck between teeth: Our dentists have the experience and special instruments necessary to carefully remove anything from between your teeth without damaging your smile.