A little preparation can go a long way in preventing a minor emergency from turning into a major one, and this philosophy perfectly applies to your teeth! Should you or a loved one develop a toothache or badly injure your teeth, instead of panicking and rushing to the ER, you can call Total Dental Solutions to get the fast, professional emergency dentistry in Fort Myers, FL that you need. Dr. George Hoop has decades of experience handling urgent dental problems, and our dental office can schedule emergency patients for same-day appointments so they can get the relief they need in the fraction of the time compared to a general clinic.
The best thing you can do if you encounter an out-of-the-ordinary dental problem, even if you’re unsure whether or not it’s an emergency, is contact our dental office. Over the phone, explain your situation as clearly as you can, and we’ll let you know what to do next. If necessary, we’ll schedule you for an immediate appointment. In the meantime, here are a few proven methods for taking control during some of the most common dental emergencies:
If something is caught between the teeth, gently rinse and floss the area to remove it. Do NOT use a sharp object to attempt this. For toothaches that likely stem from a cavity or crack in the enamel, have the person take an OTC medication and/or rinse with warm saltwater a few times an hour.
Use a clean rag or gauze and some slight pressure to stop any bleeding. Recover as many pieces of the tooth that you can find and cover the remaining tooth with some sugarless gum to prevent a rough edge from accidentally injuring the lips or gums.
Pick up the tooth while avoiding the root and attempt to place it back into its socket. If this doesn’t work, hold it under the tongue. This will help preserve the tooth until you can make it to our dental office. Ideally, you should come see us within an hour of the accident to give us the best chance of replanting the tooth.
Use some dental cement (found at any pharmacy) to temporarily place the restoration back onto the tooth until you can visit us to get a full repair. If the restoration is lost or completely broken, simply cover the tooth with the cement and avoid chewing with that area of your mouth.
By far, the best thing you can do to prevent a dental emergency before it happens is simply practice consistent oral hygiene. Most urgent dental issues stem from small problems being allowed to turn into big ones. By brushing and flossing every day (and getting regular checkups from Dr. Hoop), you can stop this process before it even starts. Other smart things to do include wearing a mouthguard whenever you play sports, not chewing on extremely hard items like ice, and never using your teeth to open packages or bottles.
The cost of treating a dental emergency will always be different from patient to patient depending on the type and severity of their injury as well as the procedure needed to address it. When you come to see us, we’ll give you an exam and go over your treatment options as well as offer a price estimate. In general, it’s always wise to seek out emergency care as quickly as possible, as this allows Dr. Hoop to address a problem early, meaning he’ll likely be able to use a more conservative (and affordable) method to fix it.
While we hope you never experience a dental emergency, we’re here to provide expert care when you need it. Since dental emergencies are typically sudden and somewhat overwhelming, it’s a good idea to know how to handle them ahead of time. That’s why we’ve gathered a few common questions we get about dental emergencies for you below. Of course, don’t hesitate to give us a call if you don’t see the answers you’re looking for and we’ll be happy to help!
Since not all emergency rooms have a dentist on staff, you’ll almost always save time, money, and hassle by bringing your dental emergency to us here at Total Dental Solutions. However, there are certain situations that need to be stabilized at an ER first before we can work on your smile. Go directly to your local emergency room if you experience:
All dental pain should be investigated by your Fort Myers dentist in a timely manner. While most toothaches are caused by non-emergency problems like cavities, some may be the result of a serious problem that needs immediate attention. Your toothache qualifies as a dental emergency if it’s accompanied by:
Remember, your teeth can’t heal themselves like the rest of your body. If your intense toothache suddenly goes away out of the blue, it’s unlikely that the underlying issue causing your dental pain has been resolved. In some cases, a painful tooth that’s suddenly gone numb could be a warning sign of a serious infection on the inside of the tooth that’s damaged or killed the nerve. You need to come see us right away so we can diagnose the core problem and address it before it influences the health of the rest of your teeth.
There are several ways you can manage a toothache until you can come see us for an appointment. You can rinse your mouth out with warm saltwater to kill dangerous bacteria and apply an ice pack to ease any swelling. In addition, over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and naproxen are good choices for easing dental discomfort.
However, it’s important to remember that even if you can keep your toothache from bothering you by taking store-bought painkillers, you still need to come see us for treatment right away. These products should only be used as temporary relief until you can reach our office.
If you or a loved one is experiencing a dental emergency, or if you’re unsure if your situation requires urgent dental care, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
A toothache will usually not go away on its own, which is why you should schedule an appointment with Dr. Hoop as soon as you feel one. He’ll perform an oral examination to identify the root cause of your pain. From decay to infection, there are many potential causes for a toothache, and you’ll want to get them ruled out by a professional right away. With early intervention, you can prevent any underlying issues from turning into severe complications down the line.
If you have a knocked-out tooth, you can rinse it with water. However, you shouldn’t store it in water as it can damage the root surface cells and lower the chances of it being able to be placed back into the socket. The best thing you can do in this situation is place the tooth back in the open socket. Alternatively, you can place it in milk or saline solution for up to one hour to keep it moist. Time is of the essence in this emergency, which means you need to get to Dr. Hoop as soon as possible. The sooner you get to the office, the better chance he has of saving your tooth.
It’s always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected. That said, you should keep an emergency dentistry kit with you at all times that contains the following essentials:
Absolutely not! You should never attempt to pop a dental abscess on your own. Doing so can expose your mouth to unwanted bacteria and irritate the area even more. Instead, you should contact Dr. Hoop and schedule an emergency appointment. A tooth or gum abscess is considered a dental infection, which means you need to seek urgent treatment. If you fail to address the issue in a timely manner, you risk allowing the infection to spread to other areas of the body like the neck, throat, and head.