Emergency Dentist

Dallas, Texas

If you have been searching for a top-rated dental office, with excellent care and a compassionate Dr and staff, you’ve found the right place. We will get you out of pain and back on the road to a healthy, happy smile! We provide emergency dentistry and same day service for the times when you need emergency dental care. If you have a toothache or a major dental emergency, call (214) 956-9100 right away.

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(214) 956-9100

Dental emergencies can be a pain, but knowing what to do when one occurs is what’s most important!

Even if the emergency is minor, it’s always best to call your dentist and know what you should do to move forward. If you are having a dental emergency, and are in the Dallas, TX area, please call 214-956-9100 as soon as possible. If you call after business hours, there is an after-hours-emergency phone number left on our voicemail message for you to call. We are here to help you and will always try and accommodate any last-minute Emergency appointment requests in an expedient manner.

When your dental comfort and health are at risk, we will do everything possible to be sure you are seen and treated as soon as possible. Although dental emergencies are rare, they do happen, and it’s important to have a place you can trust to take good care of you. We don’t want you to be in pain any more than you do!

Call us if you have a:

Toothache
Tooth broken/chipped – if chip or break is significant or in pieces
Tooth knocked out
Abscess/swelling
Lost filling
Lost crown/bridge
Tongue/Cheek/Gum injuries that will not stop bleeding
Broken crown/bridge
Infected tooth
Tooth that needs to be extracted
Sports accident

Most Common Dental Emergencies

In an issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), it was reported that 13-39% of all dental injuries are sports-related.

Toothache

Having a toothache is the most common dental emergency. It can be caused by anything form a popcorn hull getting stuck in your gum, to a possible broken tooth or bacterial infection, or even by teeth grinding. If you have a toothache, rinse your mouth with warm water and floss around it to see if any food or anything other debris might be stuck that’s causing the problem. If it’s not something stuck between your teeth or between your teeth and gums, call us. If there is swelling or any throbbing sensation, call us immediately. We will work diligently to be sure you are seen as quickly as is possible.

Broken Tooth / Chipped Tooth

Avoid hard foods. Cover the sharp edges of the remaining tooth with dental wax (can be found at your local pharmacy/most grocery stores) or gum to protect the tongue, cheek and gums.

In the case of trauma: A severe impact can break the jaw. If you cannot bring your upper and lower teeth together when closing the mouth, see a dentist or go to the emergency room immediately.

Gather the broken pieces and place them in a clean, dry container for transport to the dentist.
Rinse the remaining tooth with warm water to remove dirt and debris.
If an injury broke the tooth, place a cold compress on the area to help prevent swelling.
Call your dentist to arrange an appointment. If you can see yellow dentin or red, exposed pulp, see a dentist immediately.

Tooth Knocked Out

(Courtesy of the American Association of Endodontists): Getting your tooth knocked out is an awful experience, but it’s important that you act quickly, within 30 minutes, and visit the nearest dentist or endodontist.

Pick up the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface) NOT the root. Locate the tooth immediately; don’t leave it at the site of the accident. Handle the tooth carefully when you pick it up, and never touch the root of the tooth, only the crown (chewing surface).
If dirty, gently rinse the tooth with water. Use only water to gently rinse off any dirt. Do not use soap or chemicals. Don’t scrub or dry the tooth, and don’t wrap the tooth in a tissue or cloth.
Reposition the tooth in the socket immediately, if possible. Try to put the tooth back into its socket right away. Gently push it in with your fingers, by handling the crown, or position it above the socket and close your mouth slowly. Hold the tooth in place with your fingers or by gently biting down on it.
Keep the tooth moist at all times. The tooth must stay moist at all times, either in your mouth or, if it can’t be replaced in the socket, put it in milk, in your mouth next to your cheek, or in an emergency tooth preservation kit (such as Save-a-Tooth®). Don’t use regular tap water; root surface cells can’t tolerate that for extended periods of time.
See an endodontist or dentist within 30 minutes of the injury. Bring the tooth with you to your emergency appointment ideally. It’s best to see the doctor within 30 minutes; however, it is possible to save a tooth even if it has been outside the mouth for an hour or more.

Abscess / Swelling

Emergency rooms cannot drain abscesses. They can only prescribe antibiotics to begin to alleviate the infection. A tooth abscess can arise from an infection that develops inside the tooth. Bacteria can enter the tooth when it’s chipped, decayed or broken. Once the bacteria reaches the center of the tooth and the tooth becomes infected, pus can accumulate. The pus swelling inside results in a toothache. If left untreated, it can spread.

Use a cold compress for the first 24-36 hours.
Use over the counter pain medications. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) and naproxen (Aleve®) can be used, or take acetaminophen (Tylenol®) if you can’t take NSAIDs. Don’t give a child under the age of 16 aspirin; use Tylenol instead.
Rinse with warm salt water. (1/2 tsp. salt in a glass of warm water)
Rinse with hydrogen peroxide (dilute with equal parts water and rinse thoroughly. Do not swallow).

Lost Filling

Use a cold compress for the first 24-36 hours.
Use over the counter pain medications. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) and naproxen (Aleve®) can be used, or take acetaminophen (Tylenol®) if you can’t take NSAIDs. Don’t give a child under the age of 16 aspirin; use Tylenol instead.
Rinse with warm salt water. (1/2 tsp. salt in a glass of warm water)
Rinse with hydrogen peroxide (dilute with equal parts water and rinse thoroughly. Do not swallow).

Lost Crown / Bridge

Hopefully, when your crown/bridge fell out, you caught it and didn’t swallow it!

*One temporary/emergency option: IF the tooth or teeth underneath are NOT broken off INSIDE of the crown or bridge, clean your tooth well by gently brushing and rinsing it; clean out the inside of the crown or bridge with a toothbrush, removing any plaque and debris. Once the crown/bridge and your tooth/teeth have been cleansed, dry your teeth (and the inside of the crown) as thoroughly as you can, then you can put a little Vaseline inside the crown and put it back in place to hold it in place temporarily. This doesn’t always hold well, depending on various factors (like the weight of the bridge, and height of your teeth, and your bite). It may, however, prove as a temporary fix, until you can get in to the office. **REMEMBER: THIS IS NOT STABLE ENOUGH TO CHEW WITH! This merely keeps the teeth underneath from being exposed to the air and temperature of things you may eat or drink. (Chew on the OTHER side! And if the crown/bridge “feels” loose, remove it to eat, cleanse and reapply the Vaseline and crown or bridge, so you don’t end up accidentally swallowing it!) The teeth will very likely become more sensitive over time. So, call us right away, and we will make arrangements to get it taken care of ASAP!

If it’s gone for good (say, you wrapped it in a napkin and accidentally threw it away…? Or… it flew out while you were skydiving!) we will need to see you right away to make impressions to make a new temporary crown or bridge from. Not to worry. We have an in-house Lab in our office, and can take care of this for you! Same day service (typically) available.

Oral Bleeding That Will Not Stop

For minor bleeding, not from trauma or injury:

Rinse your mouth with a mild salt water solution. Use a moist piece of gauze or a wet tea bag to apply pressure to the bleeding site, keeping head upright. Hold in place with moderate pressure for 15-20 minutes.
To help control bleeding and relieve pain, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.

For heavy bleeding, from trauma or injury (before you try to stop the bleeding):

Wash your hands well with soap and water, if available.
Use gauze or bandages, if possible. In an emergency, use clean washcloth, paper towels: in other words, the CLEANEST material for a compress that’s available.
Put on medical gloves, if available, before applying pressure to the wound.
1. Have the person sit up and tilt his or her head forward with the chin down. This will help any blood drain out of the mouth, not down the back of the throat. Swallowing blood can cause vomiting.
2. Remove any visible objects that are easy to remove. Remove chewing gum if it is present. Do not attempt to clean out the wound.
3. Remove any jewelry from the general area of the wound.
4. Press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth or the cleanest material available. If there is an object in the wound, apply pressure around the object, not directly over it.
5. Apply steady pressure for a full 15 minutes. Use a clock to time the 15 minutes. It can seem like a long time. Resist the urge to peek after a few minutes to see whether bleeding has stopped. If blood soaks through the cloth, apply another one without lifting the first.
  - Inner lip bleeding. Press the bleeding site against the teeth or jaw or place a rolled or folded piece of gauze or clean cloth between the lip and gum. Once bleeding from inside the lip stops, don’t pull the lip out again to look at it. The person should avoid yawning or laughing, which may make the bleeding begin again.
  - Tongue bleeding. Squeeze or press the bleeding site with gauze or a piece of clean cloth.
  - Inner cheek bleeding. Place rolled gauze or a piece of clean cloth between the wound and the teeth.
  - After tooth extraction by a health professional, follow any instructions given to you by your health professional. If you do not have the instructions, bite on gauze or a piece of clean cloth to control bleeding. If pressure does not stop the bleeding, try biting down on a moistened tea bag for 10 to 15 minutes. Avoid spitting, using any form of tobacco, and using straws, which can make bleeding worse.
If moderate to severe bleeding has not slowed or stopped, continue direct pressure while getting help. Do all you can to keep the wound clean and avoid further injury to the area.
Mild bleeding usually stops on its own or slows to an ooze or trickle after 15 minutes of pressure. It may ooze or trickle for up to 45 minutes.
Return any skin flap to its normal position. If necessary, hold the flap in place with a clean cloth or gauze.
Watch the person so he or she does not swallow the gauze or cloth.

Broken Crown / Bridge

In the event of damage to an existing crown or bridge, contact us to see it as soon as possible. It may BE an emergency, and it may NOT BE, depending on the nature of the damage to the prosthesis.

The solution for taking care of a damaged or broken crown or bridge is determined by the extent of the damage and the condition of the teeth involved, as well as the surrounding teeth.

A large percentage of the broken crowns and bridges are merely a result of the porcelain chipping or breaking away from the metal. This is not necessarily an emergency, although it DOES need tending to in a timely manner, to prevent nearby adjacent teeth from shifting.

If the metal part of the crown/bridge is still fully cemented to the tooth and there is no decay underneath or anything wrong other than the porcelain breaking off, it’s usually just a matter of making a new crown.
If it has broken completely off and a piece of the tooth is broken off inside of it, the underlying tooth will need to be evaluated and treated (and hopefully SAVED), as well as replacing the crown/bridge.
If it has broken and is still attached, DO NOT CHEW WITH IT! Call us and get in as soon as possible. There could be problems with the tooth underneath that can be managed without complications if done in a timely manner. (It not being fully sealed/attached to the tooth? This leaves room for bacteria and decay to take over.)
If pieces of the crown or bridge have broken off, or if the entire unit has come completely off of the teeth it was mounted to, be sure and keep those pieces and bring them with you. Examining these pieces can often provide more information on what happened, and why.
In some cases, a simple crack or chip of a bridge can be fixed with a bonding material to fill the gaps and restore the look and strength of the prosthesis.
Sometimes a loose crown/bridge can be removed, cleaned out and recemented if the supporting teeth are in ideal condition.
In cases of more extensive damage, it may need to be replaced with a different version of the same type of prosthesis, suited more for the CURRENT condition of your mouth. For instance, if there is decay that has affected the supporting tooth, the appliance will no longer fit or seat properly. The supporting teeth would need to have the decay removed and a new prosthesis created to fit precisely.

Infection

Damaged teeth are prone to infection. Some oral infections can spread to other parts of the mouth or body. Redness, swelling, throbbing, bleeding, obvious abscesses, or small pimple-like swelling on the gums, are all clear signs of an infection. Infected teeth should be treated right away. Antibiotics are often needed in conjunction with treatment of an active infection.

Needing An Extraction

If the tooth hurting is one you know needs to be/you want removed/extracted, ours is a full scope surgical facility. We do oral surgery on a daily basis and can certainly take care of that, and remember: Emergency rooms cannot pull teeth. (It is illegal for anyone other than a dentist to perform an emergency tooth extraction, emergency root canal or any other dental care.)

So, if you need an emergency extraction, we can help you.

Sports Accident

According to the America Dental Association, approximately 15 million Americans experience a sports related injury each year. About 10% of players will end up with a dental facial injury in any given season.

Top 3 injuries from sports accidents:

1) CRACKED TEETH: A sport related blow to the head or face can result in a cracked/fractured tooth. With a cracked tooth you may experience symptoms such as:

Sharp pain upon biting
Tooth pain that comes and goes
Pain while eating and drinking, particularly with HOT and COLD food
The loss of a section of enamel, exposing the underlying layers of your tooth

The crack may or may not be visible to the naked eye. You may or may not experience pain. Typically, during your next dental exam will the damage be discovered. (Just another good reason to stay on schedule with regular dental checkups).

Depending on the location and depth of the crack, it could require as little as a filling or as much as an extraction (if the crack goes into the pulp/nerve chamber of the tooth.

2) FRACTURED ROOTS: If a blow to the head or face is received at a certain angle, it could possibly cause a fractured root. In this case, instead of the crack beginning at the chewing surface and moving down to the root, it begins at the root and works its way upward. Because these cracks may invisible to the naked eye, you may not realize there’s a problem until an infection So, if you’ve had head or facial trauma, it’s always best to get it looked at sooner rather than later, even in the event of having no immediate symptoms.

3) TOOTH INTRUSION: Typically, sports related accidents are associated with getting teeth knocked out, but not always. Sometimes, these types of injuries can push teeth further up INTO the jawbone. This type of trauma is called an Intrusion. This type of healing can cause discomfort for some time. Some complications from this type of trauma include:

Damaging the tooth pulp/nerve either by necrosis (dying) or being damaged beyond repair
Resorption (shortening) of the root
Ankylosis (fusion) of the injured tooth root to the supporting bone.

Wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard can help protect from these injuries. The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation (NYSSF) estimates that players who do not wear protective mouthguards are 60 times MORE LIKELY to have tooth damage during playing. So- if you are reading this BEFORE you have a sports related accident, call us and have one made! You won’t regret it!

How Will The Dentist Treat My Toothache?

For dental emergencies, we always strive to see you as quickly as is possible. We are here to provide immediate help when you need it. Treatment depends on what is causing your toothache.

If a cavity is causing the toothache, your dentist will fill the cavity or take the tooth out, if necessary.
A root canal (a procedure to remove and replace infected pulp with sealing material) may be needed if the cause of the toothache is an infection of the tooth’s nerve. Bacteria that have worked their way into the inner space of the root of the tooth cause infection.
If the tooth is non-restorable (needing removal), extraction of the tooth would be necessary. In this instance, we would discuss with you the various available options for replacing that tooth. In cases where a dental implant is desired, we will review the various scenarios with you regarding your specific recommendations and options, sometimes opting to graft bone in the site at the time of the extraction, to prepare it for an implant.
An antibiotic may be prescribed if there is fever, intra-oral swelling or swelling of the jaw.

Precautions To Keep In Mind:

Wear mouthguards if you play sports
Make sure you see your dentist for regular checkups
Have your emergency dentist’s phone number handy!
Don’t eat foods that are tough on your teeth
Practice good oral hygiene habits daily (brushing/flossing)

Sources cited:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10957-toothache

https://www.aae.org/patients/dental-symptoms/knocked-out-teeth/

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=tw9012

https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/dental-emergencies-and-sports-safety/three-kinds-of-tooth-injury-that-occur-in-sports