Emergency Dentistry

What is a dental emergency?

There are several types of dental emergencies, including a sudden and intense toothache, an accident that causes a chipped or cracked tooth, a damaged or loose restoration, or a lost or damaged tooth. Around 22 percent of people have experienced dental or oral pain in the last six months. To determine if your situation is an emergency, consider the following questions:

• Are you in severe pain or experiencing significant swelling?
• Do you have a painful toothache that is not subsiding?
• Do you have a loose or knocked-out tooth?
• Are you experiencing swelling in your cheeks or face along with a toothache?
• Do you have extreme tooth sensitivity?
• Are you bleeding from the mouth, and is it not stopping?
• – Is your jaw injured?

Generally, any dental issue requiring immediate treatment to stop bleeding, relieve severe pain, or save a tooth is considered an emergency. This also includes severe infections that can be life-threatening and necessitate contacting your dental office.

What is not a dental emergency?

If the issue can be managed by yourself for a few days without seeing your dentist, it probably isn’t a dental emergency. For instance, a chipped or cracked tooth is only an emergency if the fracture is painful, has caused trauma inside your mouth, or if you have lost a tooth or filling. You can wait a few days to see your dentist in those cases.

What’s the best way to handle a dental emergency?

In case of a dental emergency, it is best to contact your dentist. If it is extremely severe, you should go to the emergency room. Depending on the dental emergency you are experiencing, there are things you can do to help ease your pain and improve the situation. You can:

1. Dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a mug of warm water and use it as a mouthwash.
2. If your tooth is knocked out, place it in a glass of milk until you can see your dentist.
3. Try flossing to relieve gum pressure.
4. Use a cold compress on the swelling or painful area.
5. Rinse with diluted hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria.
6. Take over-the-counter pain medication to alleviate pain.

How much is the cost of an emergency dental visit?

We aim to provide high-quality dental care at an affordable rate for our patients in Dublin, OH. Our cost range for an emergency dental visit is listed below. The out-of-pocket cost for any procedure depends on your insurance coverage at the time of the procedure.

Emergency Visit: $156 – $322