If you have a dental emergency and need urgent dental treatment, it's important that you see a dentist ASAP. But how do you know if you have an emergency, and how do you find an emergency dentist near you for urgent appointments?
If you're unsure what to do, find an emergency dentist in your area by calling 866-383-0748. Live operators are standing by, 24/7, to match you with a nearby dentist according to your exact needs.
In this article, we'll talk more about how to know if you have an emergency, and what you can do to find the care you need.
In This Article
- 1 Signs of a dental emergency
- 2 What to do if you have a dental emergency
- 3 How to find an emergency dentist near me open now
- 4 Dentist open on weekends and after-hours dental emergencies
- 5 Ways to ease dental pain at home
- 6 How much does an emergency dentist appointment cost?
- 7 Ways to avoid dental emergencies
- 8 Be prepared for emergency dental treatment
- 9 Conclusion
- 10 FAQs
Signs of a dental emergency
- Bleeding that doesn’t stop
- Painful swelling in or around your mouth
- Pain in a tooth, teeth or jaw bone
- Gum infection with pain or swelling
- Dry socket
- Other conditions causing pain, irritation and/or swelling
- Broken or knocked-out tooth
- A tooth that is loose or has been knocked out of alignment (known as an extruded tooth)
- If your filling fell out
- Severe pain, swelling or bleeding that develops soon after other dental treatment such as a filling, root canal, tooth extraction or dental implant
If you need to see a dentist in person ASAP, you can call 866-383-0748 24/7. You'll speak to a live operator who will connect you with an emergency dentist in your area according to your exact needs.
Depending on how serious the problem is and whether it's causing you any pain, you'll either need to:
- Visit a dentist right away (possibly at a hospital)
- Make an emergency appointment to see a dentist the same day or the next day
- Book a routine appointment to have the problem treated
Probably not a dental emergency
If you have chipped a tooth or have a mild toothache, you probably won't be treated as an emergency patient. A toothache which comes on gradually is a sign of a dental cavity, so you should still make an appointment to see your dentist soon. A lost filling may not cause any pain, but it's important to get it treated quickly otherwise other parts of the tooth may break off. You may also need specific dental services, like a periodontist or endodontist, but your regular dentist will most likely refer you.
What to do if you have a dental emergency
Some dental problems are serious enough to warrant a hospital visit to the emergency room. If you experience any of the following you should go straight to your local emergency department:
- Significant bleeding that won't stop
- Severe pain that isn't helped by painkillers
- Trauma to your face, mouth or teeth from an accident
- Significant swelling on the side of your face and down your neck
If you can't get to a dentist right now or just want some advice on what to do, you can connect with a board-certified dentist online in a service known as teledentistry. They can assess your situation and give you the professional advice you need.
This service from Denteractive lets you chat with a dentist for free for a limited time. There are also paid plans available if you want to have a video consult or receive a prescription for medicine related to your dental emergency.
If a tooth has been knocked out, it's important you get to a dentist as quickly as possible. Keep in mind that most emergency rooms don't have a dentist on staff. So you'll want to find an emergency dentist for a knocked out tooth, instead of going to the emergency room.
The sooner you can receive treatment, the better the chance your dentist will be able to successfully re-implant the tooth. Try to gently place the tooth back in its socket, but if this isn't possible, keep it in a glass of milk while you get medical assistance.
If you are not in severe pain, your teeth are not loose, and your mouth is not bleeding, you probably don't require immediate dental care. In these less severe cases you can make a regular dental appointment.
Emergency tooth extraction
Only a dentist can tell you if you need emergency tooth removal. Just because you are in a lot of pain, doesn't necessarily mean that you'll need to have an emergency dental extraction. In fact, your dentist will do everything possible to save the tooth before they consider an emergency extraction.
If you are desperate and the pain is too much to handle until you can see a dentist, you can go to the emergency room. However, you'll most likely have to pay a hefty fee and they will only be able to give you painkillers or antibiotics for tooth infection. You'll still need to see a dentist to get to the root of the problem so it doesn't happen again.
And if you're wondering how to pull your own tooth at home, we would strongly advise you to reconsider.
How to find an emergency dentist near me open now
If you have a dental emergency during regular business hours, it's just a case of finding a local dentist that can fit you in quickly. Most dentists build time into their schedule that allows them to see patients on short notice if urgent dental treatment is needed.
To find emergency dental care near you: Call 866-383-0748 to be connected with a live operator, 24/7. They will be able to match you with a dentist that can help you through your emergency situation.
Dentist open on weekends and after-hours dental emergencies
Dental emergencies don't tend to take into consideration when it's most convenient for you to have one. That means that you may very well find yourself needing dentists open on weekends or at night when your usual dentist is closed for business. So let's have a look at what you can do when your dental emergency strikes and you need an after-hours dentist.
Dentist near me open on Saturday
Thankfully, it shouldn't be too difficult to find a dentist open on Saturday, especially if you live in or near a city. And our convenient emergency dentist phone number makes it even easier to locate emergency dental care near you. Just call 866-383-0748, any day and at any hour to be connected to available dentists open on Saturday near you for absolutely any kind of dental emergency.
Dentist open on Sunday near me
It used to be that finding emergency dentists open on Sunday was a tricky task, but now it's quite easy to do. In fact, all you need to do is dial 866-383-0748 whenever you need to, 24/7 and even on Sundays. You'll be connected with a dentist open on Sunday who can treat any kind of dental emergency in your area so you can get the urgent dental care you need.
24-hour emergency dentist near me
Since dentists know emergencies can happen in the middle of the night, at the break of dawn, or really at any hour, there are dentists and clinics that offer 24-hour emergency dental care. To find a 24-hour dentist near you, all you have to do is call 866-383-0748 and you'll be connected within a couple of minutes to a dentist available near you for any kind of dental emergency. This number works 24/7 so you can find an emergency dentist open 24 hours whenever you need one.
Individual states may have different options. Click on yours to get more local information:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Chat with a dentist for free, 24 hours a day
If you're having trouble finding an emergency dentist for immediate treatment, you can connect with a licensed dentist in your state using Denteractive's online consultation service. You can speak to a verified dentist who can quickly assess your problem and give you professional advice on your situation. They will also prescribe pain relief and antibiotics, if needed.
You'll still need to see a dentist in person, but when waiting lists are long, an online consultation can get you the emergency dental treatment you need in the meantime.
Ways to ease dental pain at home
Whether you have to wait a few hours or several days to see a dentist, you'll want to do what you can to lessen your dental pain.
Regular painkillers should help relieve the pain until it's time for your dentist appointment. Take acetaminophen rather than ibuprofen or aspirin as the latter can thin your blood and make bleeding worse. Pain relief gels and drops like Red Cross Toothache that you can purchase at any drugstore or online can also help a lot while you wait for treatment.
There are also some natural remedies that can provide temporary relief from tooth pain.
Perhaps the simplest – and the one you're most likely to have on hand – is salt and hot water. Dissolve one tablespoon of salt in a glass of hot water and rinse or gargle it, repeating if necessary. The solution helps to draw fluids out of your gums, reducing irritation.
Lemons and limes can also help as the citric acid in them destroys bacteria. Cut a slice, bite into it slightly to release some juice, and then rub it on the painful areas in your mouth.
Alternatively you can try chewing fresh ginger or making a paste from crushed garlic and salt and applying it directly to the affected area.
Some essential oils and other natural products can also be effective at relieving pain in your mouth.
Our article on home remedies for toothache has more about these and other pain relief options. Remember these are not permanent treatments; just ways to temporarily ease your pain while you wait to see a dentist.
How much does an emergency dentist appointment cost?
The cost of emergency dental treatment may not be the first thing on your mind when this kind of incident occurs, but it's still something you should know.
Emergency dental care can cost considerably more than routine treatment, but it will also depend on the dentist you go to. Some may charge a flat-rate price for after-hours treatment, while others will charge according to the treatment needed.
The dentist may be able to just administer pain relief at a minimal cost until you're able to see your dentist during regular hours. If, however, you need more complicated treatment – a tooth re-implanted, an abscess drained, or an emergency root canal, for example – be prepared for the cost to be much higher.
Don't forget, you can use Denteractive to chat with a dentist for free. This could be a good option if you are unsure whether you have a dental emergency, or you want advice on the best course of action.
Ways to avoid dental emergencies
There are some simple things you can do to reduce the likelihood of you needing to visit the dentist with an emergency:
- Have regular dental checkups to identify any potential problems and treat them before they become serious
- Don't ignore a minor toothache; the longer you leave it the more serious the underlying problem will become
- If you play contact sports, wear a mouthguard to protect against injury
- Avoid biting ice or other hard foods that may damage your teeth or existing fillings
As with any accidents, there is only so much you can do to prevent them. With this in mind, it's a good idea to be prepared in case you do find yourself needing emergency dental care.
Be prepared for emergency dental treatment
Experiencing a dental emergency is bad enough without having to prolong the pain while you try to find a dentist.
Be prepared by researching local dental clinics before the need arises. Find out if any dentists near you are open on Sundays, which ones provide 24-hour dental care, and what their fees are for emergency visits.
Then, keep a list of contact numbers somewhere safe. It's a good idea to have details on hand for several 24-hour emergency dentists, just in case you can't get in touch with your local dentist's office or they can't see you for some reason.
You can also keep a dental first aid kit handy to help you treat injuries while you seek professional treatment. This kit can include:
- A small container (in which to keep any teeth that are knocked out)
- Acetaminophen
- Antiseptic mouthwash
- Cotton wool balls or gauze, to stop bleeding
- Sugar-free gum (this can be used to plug the gap temporarily if you lose a filling)
- Tooth repair kit
Be sure to check your kit regularly to make sure none of the items have expired. You can check out our article on addressing tooth injuries at home with a repair kit for more detailed information and advice.
Although none of us want to be in a position where we need emergency dental care, we can still be informed and prepared so things go as smoothly as possible should an emergency occur.
Conclusion
If you have a dental emergency, it's important to seek urgent help. An emergency can include tooth loss in adults, a broken tooth, unstoppable bleeding and excruciating pain, among other symptoms.
If you have a serious mouth-related injury and you can't get in to see an emergency dentist, you should go to the emergency room. They will make sure you aren't in a life-threatening situation, and give you something to ease the pain until you can see a dental professional.
If you need help finding an emergency dentist near you right now, you can call 866-383-0748 where a live operator can match you with a dentist 24/7.
For situations where you need urgent advice or pain relief but can't get to a dentist, you can speak to a dentist online instead. Via a secure chat the dentist can assess your situation and prescribe painkillers or antibiotics if appropriate.
FAQs
You can call your local dentist's office and ask if they can give you the number for dental urgent care near you. If you call out of hours, the answering machine will have more information.
Another really easy way to find an emergency dentist near you is by calling 866-383-0748 and you'll be connected with an emergency dentist near you who can help you with any dental emergency you're experiencing. This number is open 24/7 so you can call whenever you need to.
Urgent care and ERs can't pull teeth unless there is a dentist on staff, which in most cases is highly unlikely. The most they can do is give you pain killers until you can see an actual dentist.
Emergency dental care isn't always more expensive than regular care. It may depend on the kind of dentist you visit. If you go to a clinic that specializes in emergencies, the cost might be the same. However, if you need to see your dentist out of their usual hours, they may charge you more.
Healthcare.utah.edu: ER Or Not: Toothache. Consulted 15th December 2020.