Life happens and even more of it happens in a dense urban area like downtown DC. Recognizing this, our dentists make sure to dedicate some time each day specifically for any dental emergencies that might arise. As dentists in downtown DC, we recognize that dental pain is not the only emergency people will might need immediately addressed. Crowns or other dental restoration falling off are also a dental emergency for people in a city where there are a lot of public-facing careers. We recognize the importance of needing to see a dentist immediately whether for pain, infection, or cosmetic reasons.
Here are some dental emergencies our downtown DC dental office might address and some tips on what to do when these dental emergencies happen.
Treating Toothaches and Dental Abscesses
If your tooth pain did not arise from biting into something and is a constant radiating pain, it could be a sign of a dental infection known as an abscesses. In situations such as these it’s extremely important to get started on antibiotics in order to fight the infection before it spreads. People have actually died from dental infections and continue to do so, including the fashion house founder Hugo Boss.
When you contact our dental office in downtown DC, the dentist’s priorities will be to identify that there is, indeed, an abscess and then to prescribe medication to fight the infection and mute the pain. Once that is taken care of, the dentist can then schedule a follow up to address any dental issue such as a root canal that may need to be done.
Cracking a Tooth From Biting Into Something
There are many fine dining establishments in downtown DC and if you happen to crack a tooth on a particularly crusty piece of bread or a hard dessert it’s important to see a dentist immediately. It’s important to make a distinction between a cosmetic chipped tooth and a crack that goes deeper into the pulp. Often, though, the emergency dentist is the person best suited to make this distinction.
The most important thing to do is to avoid chewing on the side of the mouth where the crack is while you wait for your appointment. During your emergency dental visit the dentist find out the extent of the damage and focus on getting the patient out of pain.
Treating a Knocked Out Tooth (Tooth Avulsion)
If one of your teeth gets knocked out while playing sports or while slipping on a patch of ice, the first priority is to recover the tooth and place it in some milk or saliva. Next make an emergency dental appointment with the nearest reputable dentist, since time is of the essence. At the dental office the dentist’s highest priority would be to try and place the tooth back into place and hope the tooth socket heals back around it. The dentist might also prescribe something for the pain.
If the tooth cannot be replaced naturally, the dentist may recommend a dental implant or dental bridge to fill in the gap left by the missing tooth. Though these procedures will likely happen in a follow up visit.
Cosmetic Dental Emergencies
For people in downtown DC where many professions require patients to face the public, a chipped tooth or loose crown can also be considered emergencies. Keep in mind though that since these are not medical emergencies they are not going to have as high a precedence as an avulsed tooth or an abscess. Regardless, the dentists at Dental Town DC ensure to make time for these situations as well.
If a crown has fallen out, make sure to keep it since our dentists will likely be able to cement it back in. If a tooth is chipped cosmetically, the cosmetic dentists in our downtown DC dental office will be able to offer dental bonding or a temporary crown in order to provide a quick fix for chipped tooth.
If you are undergoing a dental emergency, whether it’s potentially harmful or purely cosmetic, our dentist would be glad to help. Our dental office in downtown Washington DC is dedicated to providing patients with immediate attention for their emergency dentistry needs.