Emergency Dentist — Fresno, CA

Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency?: A toothache in Fresno can have many different causes, and some are more severe than others. You’ll know that it has reached emergency levels when you notice any of the following symptoms:

• Persistent, sharp pain, especially if it gets worse over time and doesn’t respond to over-the-counter medications
• Pain that occurs whenever you put pressure on the tooth
• Bleeding gums and inflammation around the tooth in question
• A weird taste in the mouth, which is a common sign of infection
• A swollen jaw

How you should handle a toothache:  First, clean your mouth by rinsing with warm water. Something might be caught between your teeth, so use dental floss to remove it. Pain medication can be used to help you stay comfortable until your emergency appointment; however, you should not let aspirin come into direct contact with the tooth or the gum tissues, as it may end up causing a burn. If you see a pimple-like bump around the tooth, do not attempt to pop it.

How we treat toothaches: We will take X-rays and examine the tooth closely to determine the source of the pain. Then we can select a treatment based on the cause and the damage already done. Sometimes a tooth-colored filling will be enough, but severely infected teeth may require root canal therapy or even an extraction. Also, if the pain is linked to gum disease, we may recommend periodontal therapy.

Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency?: If a tooth is simply chipped instead of cracked, it’s generally not considered an issue that requires immediate attention. That said, you should still see the dentist sooner rather than later; even a small chip can eventually grow into a much bigger problem and may even open the door to extensive damage and decay.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: Rinse with warm water immediately to get rid of bacteria and debris that might be around the damaged area. The area around the tooth might be swollen; apply cold compresses to the face as needed. To avoid making the damage any worse, try not to chew with the side of the mouth that contains the affected tooth.

How we treat chipped teeth: Chipped teeth are often relatively simple to fix. We just need to bond a small amount of composite resin to the tooth in order to cover the damage. If you’re particularly worried about aesthetics, however, you may consider getting a veneer instead. This can be used to completely hide the front of the tooth, covering chips along with other imperfections.

Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency?: If only minor damage was done, then it’s a non-urgent problem; you should still see a dentist to have the tooth examined, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be right away. Severe damage, on the other hand, should always be treated as an emergency. Sometimes the cracks won’t be immediately visible. Call our office right away if your tooth has become sensitive or if you’re experiencing discomfort whenever you bite down with the tooth in question.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: A broken tooth is vulnerable to infection, so immediately rinse your mouth with warm water. Keep the tooth in question as clean as possible until it can be treated properly. Apply a cold compress to the gums if you notice any swelling.

How we treat cracked teeth: A minor crack can sometimes be repaired with direct bonding, which involves applying a small amount of composite resin to the damaged area of the tooth. For more extensive damage, a crown may be needed to hold the tooth together.

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency?: Sensitivity occurs when the parts of the tooth that are usually protected (such as the layers under the enamel or the tooth roots) are exposed. Mild sensitivity is generally a non-urgent problem, and there are steps you can take to reduce it at home. It becomes an emergency if the pain is severe, lasts for a long time, or affects one or two specific teeth; these symptoms may point to deep cavities, gum recession, and other emergencies.

How you should handle very sensitive teeth: Call us immediately and explain your symptoms. We can make a few recommendations for lifestyle changes that might help. Keep the mouth clean by drinking lukewarm water, and avoid anything spicy, acidic, or sweet that might trigger your sensitivity. Sometimes over the counter painkillers can be used to reduce the pain.

How we treat very sensitive teeth: It depends on what the root cause is. Weakened or eroded enamel can be strengthened with a fluoride treatment or products such as prescription mouthwash. Other possible treatments include tooth-colored fillings and other restorations, antibiotics, gum disease treatment, and root canal therapy.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is my knocked-out tooth a dental emergency?: A knocked out tooth should always be treated as an emergency. It is possible to replant the tooth, but the window of opportunity for doing so is very small; after a while, the cells living on the roots of the teeth will die, and replantation will eventually become impossible. If you want to keep your natural tooth even after it has been knocked out of the mouth, then you need to act quickly and get to our practice immediately.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: Make sure the tooth is kept moist at all times. Try to put it back in its socket; avoid touching the root while doing so. If it won’t go back in its sock it, store it between your cheek and gums, or put it in milk. You can also use an ADA-approved tooth preservation product. Do not store it in plain water, as this could end up damaging the roots and lowering the chance for a successful replantation.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: We will try to save the tooth if we can. If we’re successful, the tooth will gradually rejoin with the jawbone over time. Of course, there will be situations where the tooth cannot be salvaged and thus will need to be replaced instead. Dental bridges, dentures, and dental implants can all be used to fill in empty space in your smile; we’ll help you choose the option that best fits your individual needs.

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency?: No dental restoration lasts forever; it’s perfectly normal for a filling or crown to break or come off the tooth eventually. This leaves the tooth exposed to the harmful bacteria that can cause an infection. It’s not an immediate emergency, but it is a problem that will have to be dealt with as soon as possible.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: Keep the restoration so that the dentist can decide whether or not it can be salvaged. Gargle with salt water to clean your mouth and remove food debris. If you must eat, do not chew with the exposed tooth. You can cover the tooth in question with dental wax or temporary filling material. You may also temporarily reattach a crown with a dental adhesive, sugar free gum, or some toothpaste.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns: We may be able to put the restoration back if it’s still mostly or fully intact. We can replace a filling or crown if the original was lost or has been too badly damaged to be worth saving.

Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? Broken dentures may seem like more of an inconvenience than a dental emergency, but we urge you to give us a call right away anyways. Whether you’ve broken a clasp, bent the acrylic base, or chipped one of the replacement teeth, any type of damage to your denture should be repaired right away to keep your mouth safe and prevent bacteria buildup.

How to handle a broken denture:  If your dentures are broken or bent, DO NOT wear them! Doing so can make the damage worse and injure your jaws and gums in the process. Instead, keep them in cleaning solution or a glass of water until you can see us. DO NOT attempt to repair your dentures yourself with superglue or other household adhesives, as they can make you sick if kept in the mouth.

How we treat broken dentures: Naturally, how we repair your broken dentures will depend on the extent and type of damage they’ve sustained. We may be able to readjust them or make minimal repairs right away, however, we may also need to replace your denture entirely. If this is the case, it may be the perfect opportunity to consider switching to implant dentures.

Loose Permanent Tooth

Are loose permanent teeth a dental emergency? If a permanent tooth is loose, it’s most likely a sign that you have a serious oral health issue that needs immediate attention. Even if the loose tooth doesn’t hurt, it’s in danger of falling out so you should see us as quickly as possible.

How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: We’ll see you as quickly as possible for a loose permanent tooth. In the meantime, avoid touching it with your finger, tongue, or any other object. If possible, avoid eating until we can see you, or only eat very soft foods.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: To restabilize your tooth, we’ll splint it to the neighboring teeth and keep it there for several months as the roots heal. However, if the tooth cannot be saved, we may need to extract it and discuss your tooth replacement options. Periodontal therapy may be necessary if the tooth was loosened from gum disease, or we may recommend a personalized athletic mouthguard if the loose tooth was the result of a sports injury.

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? Cuts to the soft tissues in the mouth can bleed a lot and seem quite alarming, but they can often be handled at home. Follow the instructions below or give us a call for first aid instructions.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: If your tongue, cheeks, lips or gums are bleeding, first rinse your mouth out with water to clean the wound. Apply firm pressure to the area with a clean washcloth or paper towel to stop the bleeding. Once the bleeding has stopped, place an ice pack on the outside of your mouth or take over-the-counter pain relievers as direct to ease discomfort and swelling.  

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: If you’re having a tough time handling your injury to your gums, lips, or tongue at home, we may recommend that you come in for an appointment so we can help. If your bleeding is excessive or does not stop within 10 minutes, head directly to your local ER instead.

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? The TMJs (temporomandibular joints) have the important job of connecting your lower jawbone to the skull. This means that you may have trouble speaking, eating, or talking properly if they are injured or sore. Unfortunately, TMJ disorder can occur over time for a number of reasons such as a severe injury to the jaw or the presence of arthritis. If you are experiencing chronic facial pain or severe headaches that are related to your TMJ health, our doctors can review your condition and recommend effective therapy for the problem.

How you should handle jaw pain: If you break or fracture your jaw, make sure to visit your local ER for immediate medical assistance. However, if your pain is causing you to have difficulty opening and closing your mouth and is creating a popping sound, you may have temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Our team can provide the necessary treatment to decrease pain and get your oral health back on track. Until you can see us, take over-the-counter pain relievers as directed on the label and use ice packs or cold compresses to manage your discomfort.

How we treat jaw pain: We offer a variety of TMJ/TMD solutions. First, we’ll evaluate your situation and then help you determine which treatment would be the most effective for you. If we discover that your jaw pain is due to teeth grinding, we may create a personalize nightguard for bruxism for you. In rare cases, jaw pain may be caused by wisdom teeth that are coming in that need to be extracted. We’ll share our findings with you after your evaluation.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

An object stuck between the teeth can cause significant pain, and it may even damage your gums. Begin by trying to dislodge it with waxed dental floss. Tie a small knot in the floss, and move it backward and forward against the object that is stuck. However, keep in mind that you must be gentle. You do not want to accidentally damage your teeth or your gums while you are attempting to remove the object. Also, never use anything sharp (toothpicks, tweezers, etc.) to try to poke the object out; you might end up scratching a tooth or puncturing your gums. If you can’t seem to dislodge the object yourself, don’t hesitate to give us a call so we can help.