Steps to Take Before Visiting an Emergency Dentist

If you damage a tooth or wake up with a sudden toothache, you need the help of an emergency dentist in Walnut Creek. There is no reason for you to live with dental discomfort, excessive bleeding or pain when you can visit our dental office right away. We do not make you wait two or three weeks to schedule an appointment as is common with many dentist offices. We understand that when you have a dental emergency, it requires immediate care and that your local emergency room is simply not going to be able to provide the level of care you need. This is not because of their lack of skill but a lack of training in dental sciences. We have the skill, expertise, and time to treat you right away. For this reason, anytime that you have a dental emergency, we encourage you to call our office at (925) 300-4536.

Steps to Take Before Coming In

We will schedule an appointment for a patient as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the patient may be dealing with excessive bleeding or discomfort. Thus, it is important to understand what steps one can take at home before coming in.

After one damages his or her tooth, the first step is to rinse the mouth with warm water. There is likely to be blood left in the mouth that a patient needs to clean out and be able to assess the damage. Watch out for pieces of the tooth falling out with the spit since we may be able to restore the tooth is one has the missing pieces. If one knocks a tooth out, then he or she need to lightly rinse it off and place it in a glass of milk before driving to our office. As an emergency dentist, we may be able to reattach it.

If the bleeding does not stop after rinsing out the mouth with warm water, one can use gauze or a clean rag in order to help put pressure on the area and stop the bleeding. Most emergency kits will have some gauze and will not be too difficult to use.

To address any pain or discomfort that one is feeling, take Ibuprofen instead of aspirin. Since aspirin is a blood thinner, it is the last thing one wants after damaging the teeth or gums. The goal is to stop the bleeding and not to create a situation where one may bleed more. Next, one can use a cold compress or ice pack and place it on the face and the area of the dental damage. This will help to reduce or prevent swelling and also help one to feel better. Just use the ice for 15 minutes at a time and be sure not to place it directly on the skin without a cloth or paper towel in between.

Above all, remain calm and visit an emergency dentist as quickly as possible. With fast appointment times, we make it possible to do so.