Dental emergencies can cause serious trouble for your smile, and lead to painful symptoms or even the risk of tooth loss. But we can help with emergency dentistry, and you can help yourself with a few simple actions post-injury. In today’s blog, your team at Delightful Dental Care in Kansas City, MO, talks about how to respond to dental emergencies.
Toothaches
When your tooth suddenly begins to hurt, then this could indicate an issue that needs attention right away. We suggest you rinse with warm water and floss on either side of the tooth. If this fails to remove anything and ease discomfort, then this pain could indicate tooth decay or even an infection. Contact our team right away!
Chipped Teeth
If you chip a tooth, don’t panic! Instead, see if you can recover any pieces of your tooth. If so, bring them with you in a sealed container. If not, then don’t worry, we can still repair the tooth. In the meantime, rinse with warm water, and use cloth or gauze to control any bleeding. You can use a cold compress to the side of the face to control swelling, and you could take an over-the-counter pain reliever.
Cracked Teeth
If a tooth is cracked, then you need care right away, especially if the fracture runs down the tooth and beneath the gumline. For some, this could be a practically invisible injury, so if you sustain an injury to the face or jaw, consider an appointment even if no damage is visible. Your fracture is very serious, but could be practically invisible to the naked eye.
Knocked-Out Teeth
What should you do if a tooth is knocked out completely? If this happens, then pick the tooth up by the crown, or the invisible portion. Never touch the roots! You can rinse away dirt and foreign debris, but leave any tissues intact. Place the tooth in a sealed container of milk or salt water and bring it to the office with you. The tooth could also be placed into the socket, and the patient can bite down gently to hold it in place until we can see you for emergency dental care.
Contacting Our Team
When you or a family member suffers from a dental emergency, then contact our team right away. If we are open, then we could see you right away, same day if possible. If we are closed, then please leave a message so that we can reach out to you with possible appointment times and suggestions to protect your smile until we can offer emergency dental care.
Possible Treatment Options
For minor injuries, we could conduct a bonding treatment, in which we add the same composite resin used in a filling to repair the tooth in only one sitting. If the injury is more severe, then we could offer a dental crown, one custom-made for a lifelike appearance, and crafted from a strong and durable material that can handle daily bite forces with ease. If the injury exposes portions of your tooth’s interior, such as a fracture, we may need to conduct a root canal prior to crown placement.
If the tooth is lost completely and cannot be restored or repaired, then we could offer replacement to protect the balance and alignment of your smile. This could include a custom dental bridge, removable dentures, or even dental implants. We could discuss creating a custom mouthguard to help limit the risk of injuries for kids and adults alike if anyone plays sports or practices martial arts or boxing.
If you have any questions about emergency dental care, or if you want to see us for your last checkup and cleaning of 2026 before the holidays are here and your schedule is more complicated, then contact our team today. There is still time to use your 2026 dental benefits and health savings account funds before they expire at midnight on December 31st!
Schedule Your Appointment for Emergency Dentistry
We want to help take on your dental emergencies and safeguard your smile, offering repair that stops painful symptoms and helps ensure a lifelike appearance and a properly balanced bite for patients of all ages. To schedule your emergency appointment, please call Delightful Dental Care in Kansas City, MO at (816) 942-7669 today. We want to help save your smile with emergency dental care, so reach out today to learn more and start care before the year comes to a close. Let’s greet 2026 with your best possible smile!