Emergency Dentist:
Urgent Care for Patients in Need

What is dental urgent care?

Any time you have an injury to your teeth, or dental pain comes on suddenly and severely, you could have an urgent care situation. Prompt treatment can, in the case of teeth that are knocked out or broken, make the difference between saving or losing a tooth. River City Dental Solutions in San Antonio, TX, factors in time for urgent care, so it’s often possible to be seen same day in the case of an emergency.

Puncture wounds, lacerations, or tears to soft tissue in the mouth also constitute dental emergencies, and you should seek attention as soon as possible after these occur. Abscesses and infections can be life-threatening and require immediate attention. These problems are serious enough that you should seek medical attention at a hospital if the onset of pain happens outside of office hours.

How should I handle the most common dental urgent care issues?

Having a knocked-out tooth doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve lost it for good. If the tooth itself is intact, pick it up by the crown and avoid touching the root or any attached tissue. Rinse the tooth gently, but don’t scrub away any debris. If it’s possible, you can try to place the tooth back in the socket, holding it in place as you bite to push it down. If you can’t do this, put the tooth in a small container, keeping it moist with milk. Contact River City Dental Solutions as soon as possible.

Chipped teeth generally aren’t an urgent care case if there’s no accompanying pain. However, you should make an appointment soon to prevent decay and to see what restoration options you may have.

Cracked or fractured teeth are urgent care matters, since these often have accompanied internal damage which could lead quickly to infection and abscesses. Call the office as soon as possible, and then gently rinse your mouth with warm water. If you’re in pain, use acetaminophen as a pain reliever, not aspirin. Don’t use topical pain medication intended for oral use, since it may burn gum tissue.

Is my lost crown an urgent dental care issue?

It’s not urgent if you still have the crown, but you should attempt to put it back in place to protect the tooth underneath. Use petroleum jelly, denture adhesive, or wax lip protector as a temporary adhesive. Make an appointment within the next few days.