Evanston Emergency Dentist

What Counts As A Dental Emergency?

If you are experiencing serious pain and discomfort or bleeding due to an oral issue, and you do not know how to treat the condition yourself, you’re experiencing a dental emergency.

Emergencies include dental injuries, such as damaged, knocked-out, or impacted teeth. However, emergencies also include things like missing or pulled-out dental work (crowns and fillings), and even issues like toothaches and gum disease.

What Should I Do In A Dental Emergency?

After you’ve called to schedule your emergency appointment or let us know that you’re on your way in, you should take proper steps to treat your condition as best as you can until you arrive. For example, if bleeding is present due to an oral injury, you can use clean gauze or cotton balls to absorb blood. Bleeding should mostly stop within 1-2 hours.

If you have lost a tooth or a piece of dental work, recover it if possible. A missing (avulsed) tooth should be cleaned with warm water and replaced in the socket, or placed into a container of cold milk if it cannot be put back in the socket. Dental work that has fallen out should also be recovered and put in a plastic bag.

Pain can be treated with over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen (Advil) or Acetaminophen (Tylenol). Do not use aspirin, as it can thin the blood and prevent proper clotting. You can also use ice packs to treat pain and swelling, but make sure you apply them externally to your cheek, and never directly to the site of your injury.

Once you’ve treated your condition, come to Fischl Dental Associates as soon as you can, to get treatment from one of our skilled dentists.

What Should I Do If I Have A Serious Toothache?

If you have a serious toothache that lasts more than a day or two, it’s likely that you either have a very deep cavity or an infected tooth. Both of these conditions are serious dental emergencies. If left untreated, a deep cavity could become infected, causing further complications, while an untreated tooth infection can cause the death and loss of your tooth.

To make sure that you protect your oral health and get the treatment you need, come into Fischl Dental Associates for an emergency appointment right away. A serious toothache is a dental emergency, so we’ll do our best to schedule you for same-day treatment.

What Should I Do If I Have Bleeding Gums?

A very small amount of blood when brushing or flossing is not a big deal, in most cases. You may simply be overbrushing, which can cause your gums to bleed. Or, if you’re flossing for the first time in a while, your gums may bleed a little bit due to inflammation.

However, if you notice that your gums are bleeding heavily when you brush or floss your teeth, this is an indicator that you may have gum disease. If your gums are healthy, they will not bleed heavily when brushing or flossing. Gum disease will only get worse without treatment, so come to our office for emergency periodontal care immediately.

What Should I Do If I Have Oral Soft Tissue Injuries?

Oral soft tissue injuries can occur during an accidental hit in contact sports or a slip and fall. Your gums, lips, cheeks, and tongue may be cut and lacerated by oral trauma. In most cases, bleeding will cease or slow down within about 1-2 hours. However, if your oral bleeding does not slow or stop within this time, you may have large lacerations and cuts that will require stitches.

If this is the case, come into Fischl Dental Associates right away. We will clean and disinfect your mouth, suture any large cuts to prevent bleeding, and check the rest of your teeth and mouth to look for signs of additional oral health issues caused by your dental injury.

What Should I Do If I Have A Broken Bracket Or Wire On My Braces?

While a broken bracket or wire on your braces does not pose any immediate threat to your oral health, it can be very painful and uncomfortable, and interfere with the progress of your orthodontic treatment. For these reasons, we recommend that you have your braces repaired as soon as you can.

If you notice that you have a broken or loose bracket or wire on your braces, contact Fischl Dental Associates as soon as you can. We’ll schedule an emergency appointment, and one of our dentists will re-attach your bracket and wire, and ensure that your braces are adjusted properly.

Why Is Emergency Dental Care So Important?

Immediate dental care will help ensure the best outcome for your health after an emergency. A knocked-out tooth, for example, must be replaced within 1-2 hours, or it will likely be rejected by your mouth and will be unable to be re-implanted.

The same is true of issues like damaged or cracked teeth, or missing dental work. If you don’t get help right away, your tooth could become infected or damaged further, and we may not be able to save it.

Seeing an emergency dentist like Dr. Paul Fischl or Dr. Marie Bradley Fischl right away ensures that you can save your tooth, and get relief from your pain and discomfort. There is no substitute for emergency care, so schedule your appointment as soon as you notice your emergency.

Contact Our Evanston Emergency Dentists Now!

If you believe that you have an emergency dental situation, don’t wait to contact an experienced dentist. The team at Fischl Dental Associates is here to help. We want to help you get out of pain as soon as possible. Call us immediately at (847) 448-1684.