Emergency Dentistry
Portland, OR
 A dental emergency can be stressful, and we recommend knowing what to do before an emergency happens. Learning some basic skills and tips on what to do in an emergency will greatly reduce the stress during an already stressful time. Primarily, we invite you to have our phone number in your contact list. We want you to contact us whenever a dental emergency occurs. Our team at Geelan Dental Care has created connections with other dental professionals so that someone is always available if needed. We care about our patients and we don’t want them to be in pain.
Some of the most common dental emergencies include:
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Tooth Pain: Teeth can start hurting for a variety of reasons, and generally during inconvenient times. If you are experiencing tooth pain, we recommend the following while waiting to be seen. Brush, floss, and rinse your teeth. If some debris has become stuck, or come in contact with the dentin layer, brushing can remove the debris and reduce the pain. Swish warm water, possibly with salt, and then spit. Warm water can help calm the nerves in your mouth, and salt can reduce infection if present. Don’t drink salt water, only gargle. Taking an over the counter pain relief tablet as directed can temporarily provide needed relief. Finally, don’t ignore pain and hope it goes away. Contact our team to be seen.
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Lost Filling: Dental fillings are a great restoration, but they can fail. When a dental filling is lost, it can be quite painful. The best option is to be seen as soon as possible. If you are unable to be seen immediately, we recommend first cleaning the area thoroughly and then if needed, the space can be filled with a store bought temporary tooth filler that can be purchased at a local drug store. This will cover the space and should help the pain.
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Cracked, Fractured or Broken Teeth: If a tooth is fractured and there is a large enough tooth piece that can be recovered, we recommend keeping the broken tooth piece and bringing it to the dental office. In some cases, we may be able to restore the missing piece. Broken teeth can be very painful. You will want to contact our team for an appointment. Before you can be seen, you may want to take pain relief medication and clean the area with a light brushing.
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Knocked Out Tooth: Teeth can be completely knocked out, especially while playing sports or outside. A knocked out, or avulsed, tooth can be very disconcerting. The best immediate action is to try and place the tooth right back in its socket. You may lightly rinse the tooth with water, but do not scrub any material away from the tooth, it could be vital to the success of the tooth being placed back in. If the patient is incapable of holding onto the tooth in their mouth, either in the socket or under their tongue to keep it moist, the next best option is to place the tooth in a cup of milk, not water. Ideally, we will want to see you immediately. Teeth can be reset back in place if restoration in the socket occurs in a quick time frame. |
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