Emergency Dentist — Northampton, MA

Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency?: Pain in your tooth should be considered an emergency if it’s severe, persists for more than a day, or is accompanied by symptoms of an infection such as swollen gum tissue. We recommend that you call our office right away; the sooner you can schedule an appointment, the sooner you can find relief and protect your smile from further harm.

How you should handle a toothache: Try flossing around the tooth in question. This will help get rid of any bits of food that might be causing your pain. If you’re still experiencing discomfort, you may take ibuprofen or a similar type of pain reliever. It may also be beneficial to rinse with salt water or apply a cold compress to any areas where swelling has occurred.

How we treat toothaches: The treatment for a toothache can vary depending on the underlying cause as well as the severity of the situation. Sometimes, a filling may be enough to resolve the issue. But in other cases, you might require a more complex service such as root canal treatment. We’ll do what we can to relieve your pain while also keeping your natural smile intact; however, we may need to extract your tooth if we find that it has reached the point of no return.

Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency?: A chipped tooth doesn’t necessarily require immediate attention; it’s typically okay to wait a few days to see the dentist for treatment. That being said, failing to address the problem could result in worse damage, so don’t delay seeking care for too long.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: When eating, remember not to bite or chew with the side of your mouth where the affected tooth is located. On top of that, if the chipped tooth has a sharp edge that could irritate your soft oral tissues, you can cover it with a piece of dental wax.

How we treat chipped teeth: Oftentimes, a chipped tooth can be repaired with a simple dental bonding procedure. We can also cover the damage with a veneer; this approach is often recommended for teeth that are visible when you smile. Our team can go over the available treatment options in more detail once we’ve taken a look at the tooth and determined just how extensive the damage is.

Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency?: In general, a cracked tooth should always be treated as an urgent issue that requires immediate attention from a dental expert. Even seemingly minor cracks can have serious consequences if left alone for too long, such as leaving the tooth susceptible to infection.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: You don’t want to make the damage worse, so you should avoid using the affected tooth to bite or chew. On top of that, it’s important to keep the tooth as clean as possible; make a point of rinsing your mouth with water at regular intervals. Sometimes a cracked tooth can cause discomfort, so take ibuprofen or another kind of over-the-counter pain reliever if you need to.

How we treat cracked teeth: We’ll evaluate the damage and determine the best way to repair it. Small cracks can sometimes be fixed with dental bonding, but more extensive damage could require a dental crown. In the event that the tooth is simply too badly damaged to restore, our team can gently extract it.

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency?: Sensitive teeth are sometimes a side effect of advanced decay, gum recession, or another serious dental issue that requires swift treatment. We recommend that you call us right away for tooth sensitivity that is severe or lasts for multiple days in a row.

How you should handle sensitive teeth: Exposure to hot, cold, spicy, acidic, and sweet foods can aggravate sensitive teeth. Make a point of avoiding such foods for the time being, and remember to only drink lukewarm water. Depending on what other symptoms you’re experiencing, our team may give you additional first-aid advice when you call our office.

How we treat tooth sensitivity: We’ll identify the source of your tooth sensitivity and devise an appropriate treatment. For example, if you have a cavity, we can treat it with a filling. And if your teeth are becoming worn down due to bruxism (which causes you to grind your teeth at night), we can give you a nightguard to prevent further damage.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency?: A tooth that has been knocked out of your mouth won’t survive for very long. Thus, you have a very limited amount of time to try and have it reimplanted. To give yourself the best chance of saving your tooth, you should call us immediately and make arrangements to get to our office in less than an hour.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: When handling the tooth, remember to only touch the end that is used for chewing. Use water to rinse off any debris, but do not scrub the tooth, and don’t remove any tissues that might still be attached. It’s best to take steps to preserve the tooth for as long as possible. The ideal way to do this is to put the tooth back in its socket, but you can also place it in a container filled with milk or a saline solution.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: As long as the tooth is still viable, our team will take the necessary steps to save it. It’s often possible to reimplant it into the jaw so that it can bond with the surrounding tissue again. Not every tooth can be salvaged, however; in certain cases, it may be better to replace it with a dental implant, a dental bridge, or a partial denture.

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency?: A tooth that has lost a filling or crown won’t be at immediate risk, but it shouldn’t remain unprotected for too long. It’s normal for an older filling or crown to fall out of the mouth; if this happens to you, please call our office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: Do not throw away the restoration. Instead, store it safely and bring it with you when you visit our office so that our team can take a look at it. If you have lost a dental crown, you may be able to temporarily reattach it to the tooth as long as it has not been too badly damaged; you can use over-the-counter dental cement or a dab of toothpaste as an adhesive.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns: We may need to replace your restoration if it has been completely lost or if it’s too old to use anymore. However, a newer filling or crown that hasn’t suffered severe damage can often be reattached to the tooth.

Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? Yes, a broken denture is a dental emergency. Wearing a damaged prosthetic can injure your gums, soft tissues, jaws, and your remaining teeth. Whether the artificial teeth or the base of your dentures have been damaged, be sure to call us right away for help.

How to handle a broken denture: Never wear a broken denture, as this could injure your mouth or even cause the damage to the denture to get significantly worse. Let us take a closer look at the damage and either repair or replace it. Never attempt to repair dentures yourself with household products like superglue, as these are not biocompatible and could make you sick.

How we treat broken dentures: How we treat your broken denture will depend on the severity of the damage. Sometimes we can use composite resin to fill in a small chip or crack. In other cases, the denture may need a reline to fit properly. However, in cases of more severe damage we may need to fit you for a brand new denture if yours cannot be fixed. This may also be a great opportunity for you to consider switching to dental implants or implant dentures.

Loose Permanent Tooth

A loose permanent tooth can happen over time, or as the result of an accident or injury. If your tooth is loose, it is in danger of falling out, even if it doesn’t hurt.

How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: If you have a loose permanent tooth, it is important to contact us as soon as possible. Do not wiggle or play with your tooth with your fingers or tongue and avoid using it to chew. If the tooth has fallen completely out of your mouth, you can store it in a container of milk, saliva, or a tooth preservation kit, or you can keep it in the socket in your mouth or between your cheek and gums until you can be seen by your dentist.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: It may be possible to save your permanent tooth, however for best odds you should try to be treated within an hour of it falling out. If it cannot be saved, we may need to completely extract it. Once healed, your dentist can discuss options for replacement such as dental implants, a dental bridge, or dentures.

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? Yes. Cuts in your mouth can bleed quite a bit and be very alarming, but your dentist may be able to assist you with this dental emergency. These types of injuries can be quite common during sports.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: If you injure your mouth, gently cleanse the area with water to wash away any debris and bacteria. Apply pressure to the wound with a clean washcloth or piece of gauze until the bleeding stops. Then, apply an ice pack or cold compress over the area to help bring down any swelling and numb the pain.

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: If necessary, your dentist can stitch the wound closed and help keep the injury clean. However, if bleeding has still not stopped within ten minutes, please go to your local emergency room at once.

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? Jaw pain can easily interfere with your daily life, and can eventually lead to serious oral health issues, making it a dental emergency.

How you should handle jaw pain: If you are suffering from jaw pain, please call us as soon as possible and we will give you specific instructions over the phone. You can generally take over-the-counter pain relievers and apply ice packs to ease any swelling and discomfort. However, if you’ve broken or dislocated your jaw, go directly to the emergency room. We’ll be happy to help repair your smile after you’ve been treated and released.

How we treat jaw pain: Bruxism treatments using a custom-made mouthguard can often help correct what’s causing your pain. Wisdom teeth are another common culprit. If they are impacted and causing discomfort, we can help extract them. If you need to go to the emergency room first, we’ll be here to help assist you fix any damaged or lost teeth once you’ve been discharged.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Getting food or debris caught between your teeth can be very uncomfortable. Never use things like tweezers, toothpicks, or any other sharp instrument to attempt to dislodge matter caught between the teeth. You could suddenly injure your soft tissues. Instead, try flossing and rinsing your mouth with water, dental floss, a water flosser, or floss pick first. If you still cannot dislodge the debris, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.