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Get Immediate Same-Day Care
Emergency Dentistry
If you’re experiencing a dental emergency in Covington, it’s important to get immediate care to ensure the best possible outcome for your oral health. We offer same-day appointments, and can see you right away. The sooner you get help, the sooner you will get relief from your pain and discomfort. Call us at (985) 869-8020 to schedule your same-day appointment.
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Same-Day Emergency Appointments
Call Us Right Away
At Cornerstone Dentistry, we understand that dental emergencies don’t happen on your schedule. That’s why we offer same-day emergency appointments for all of our patients. If you suffer an unexpected dental emergency, we’re here to help you get the care you need right away. To schedule your appointment, please give us a call at (985) 869-8020.
What Are the Most Common
Dental Emergencies?
Some of the most common dental emergencies include severe tooth pain, a knocked-out tooth, a chipped or broken tooth, signs of an infection such as an abscess and swelling, impacted wisdom teeth, and uncontrollable bleeding or injury to the mouth.
Any sort of tooth pain should be sending alarm bells because a healthy and undamaged tooth should not be in pain. When pain is severe or does not go away, you should come in for an emergency appointment right away, because it indicates that there is a problem with the tooth that is at risk of becoming progressively worse.
This could be because of tooth decay or dental trauma. Any sort of damage to the tooth as a result of injury, teeth grinding, or biting down on something too hard should be assessed for its severity.
A tiny crack may be able to wait for a dental bonding appointment but if the crack runs up to the gum line, causes significant pain, or is severe, then this is an emergency that needs to be treated right away. Signs of infection should always be treated as a dental emergency because infections require prompt treatment to avoid losing the tooth or the infection spreading to the other teeth and through the bloodstream.
When to Get Help
What Is a Dental Emergency?
As a rule, we define a dental emergency as any oral condition that you don’t know how to treat on your own and is causing you serious pain, discomfort, and/or bleeding. If your condition meets these qualifications, get emergency dental care right away.
Some of the most obvious dental emergencies are oral injuries caused by dental trauma, such as knocked-out or loose teeth, damaged and chipped teeth, or cuts to the lips, gums, tongue, and cheeks. However, many other oral conditions also count as emergencies.
A serious toothache or very sensitive tooth is an emergency, as it could indicate a tooth infection or a deep cavity. If your gums bleed for no apparent reason, this could be caused by advanced gum disease, which also counts as an emergency. Broken dental work like a filling or crown that causes pain on biting is also considered an emergency. Still unsure? It’s better to be safe than sorry, so give us a call to discuss your symptoms and we’ll offer honest guidance and advice.
Be Prepared
What to Do with a Knocked-Out Tooth
A knocked-out tooth is one of the most serious and time-sensitive dental emergencies. Unless your tooth is replaced and splinted within 1-2 hours, it will likely need to be replaced with an implant, bridge, or denture. Give us a call immediately after you lose your tooth, and let us know that you’re coming in.
Next, recover your tooth. Keep it moist at all times. If you can, try placing the tooth back in the socket without touching the root, or bottom, of the tooth. If that’s not possible, place it in between your cheek and gums or in milk, but avoid rinsing off the tooth.
Don’t waste time trying to treat pain, bleeding, and discomfort on your own. Your priority should be to come into our office as soon as possible. The sooner you see Dr. Lascari, the sooner you can get relief from pain, and the more likely it is that we will be able to save your tooth.
Can I Handle
Dental Emergencies at home?
It is best to avoid trying to handle a dental emergency by yourself at home because by its nature an emergency requires professional and immediate treatment. That being said, there are things you can do to ease pain and discomfort until you get to your appointment.
The first step is to give us a call, tell us what happened, and what the issue is. We will arrange an emergency appointment for you right away. You can take anti-inflammatory pain medication and use an ice pack to relieve pain and swelling. Keep your head elevated, stop any bleeding right away with the use of gauze and pressure and look for signs of sharp edges in the mouth that could be causing mouth injuries.
If you have a chipped tooth that is cutting your tongue, you should place something that will stop your tooth from causing cuts to the inside of your mouth. Drugstores sell temporary tooth fillings that can help or gauze may be enough for the car ride to the dentist.
Do not try to solve the problem yourself or put off your dental visit. These tips are only to help relieve your severe pain and discomfort until you can reach us. The problem will not get better on its own.
Can I go to the urgent care
to get a tooth pulled?
Generally speaking, the answer is no. Urgent care or the emergency room is not the place you want to be for a dental emergency unless the patient has undergone severe dental trauma or injury that could be life-threatening.
Doctors at urgent care are generally not trained in dentistry and while some hospitals and ERs may have an oral surgeon on call for rare situations such as an infection that has spread throughout the body or an injury that has shattered all of the teeth and the jaw, in most cases, you can expect to be prescribed pain medication and antibiotics and told to see a dentist.
You are also more likely to wait in the waiting room for a long time. You need to be examined and treated as soon as possible if you have suffered from dental trauma, severe decay, or gum disease.
If you have a loose or severely damaged tooth, you should contact us at Cornerstone Dentistry right away. Dr. Lascari will be able to get you the urgent oral care that you need within the same day.
Outside of life-threatening or very serious dental trauma, the emergency dentist is the best place to get the treatment you need promptly. Call us at (985) 869-8020 or book online to schedule an emergency appointment.
how can I prevent
a dental emergency?
The most common dental emergencies include having a loose or knocked out tooth, severe pain, bleeding from the mouth, an infection, jaw pain, and a chipped or cracked tooth. The most common causes of these dental emergencies relate to poor oral hygiene, dental trauma, or wear and tear of the teeth.
The best way to prevent these dental emergencies is to take good care of your teeth by having a good oral hygiene routine, frequently visiting the dentist, and taking precautions to protect your teeth from damage.
Tooth decay and gum disease can be prevented with early detection and preventative steps such as brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing each day, getting regular dental cleanings & checkups, and other treatments such as dental sealants and fluoride varnish.
Chips, cracks, and loose teeth are often caused by dental trauma. If you suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding) you should wear a night guard when you sleep. Grinding your teeth in your sleep can cause chips, cracks, and fractures to form and in severe cases, tooth breakage. Only use your teeth for eating and do not use them as tools to open packages.
Hard and sticky foods can also cause enamel abrasion or get stuck in your teeth, leading to bacteria. Limit your intake of sugar and carbohydrates, as these increase your risk of developing cavities and tooth decay.
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