There is no convenient time to have a dental emergency in Newcastle, but if you or your family need to see a dentist quickly, we are here to help you. You can contact West Bowmanville Family Dental during office hours, and our friendly team will assist you, offering immediate advice over the phone and scheduling an emergency appointment. We make every effort to see people in pain or discomfort as quickly as possible, providing care to relieve the pain and diagnose the problem. If you have a dental emergency out of office hours, please don’t worry, as you can still contact us or email us for quick assistance.
Some people are confused about what constitutes a dental emergency, as there are occasions when you need to see a dentist immediately, while other times, urgent care may be desirable but less necessary. You do need to see a dentist in Clarington quickly if you knock out or loosen a tooth.
You should also seek emergency dental care if you have a severe tooth infection that is causing facial swelling, a high fever, or making you feel very unwell. It is especially essential to seek medical care quickly because there is a small risk of a severe tooth infection becoming life-threatening, although this is rare.
Knocking out or Loosening a Tooth
If you knock out a tooth, contact us immediately as there is a chance to reinsert the tooth and save it. In the meantime, retrieve the tooth, holding it carefully by the crown and rinse it in clean water. You can try to reinsert the tooth, holding it carefully in place while biting down gently. Otherwise, place the tooth in a small container with a little milk and bring it with you to your emergency dental appointment in Courtice. The sooner your tooth can be reinserted, the better. Ideally, try to see a dentist within the first half an hour to an hour after your accident.
If you loosen a tooth, you can try to ease the tooth back to its original position using very light pressure but do not force it, and you do need an emergency dental appointment straightaway. It may be necessary to splint the tooth to the adjacent tooth to help keep it stable.
Severe Tooth Infection
A severe tooth infection or dental abscess is normally very painful and can be life-threatening. The sooner you see a dentist, the more likely they can save the tooth by performing root canal therapy. If you are away from home and can’t get to see us immediately, go to your nearest emergency room for treatment.
Chipping or Fracturing a Tooth
If you chip a tooth, but it doesn’t hurt, you still need to see a dentist promptly, but it isn’t a dental emergency. However, it is best to avoid biting down on the tooth when eating, to avoid further damage. A fractured tooth is a more serious issue as the fracture can affect the inner part of the tooth and needs prompt diagnosis and treatment. You may need a dental x-ray to assess the damage to the tooth more fully. In the meantime, if the tooth is painful, take over-the-counter painkillers, but you should never apply a painkiller directly to the gum tissue because it can damage the gums.
Loose Crown or Filling
Sometimes a crown can become loose, or you may notice a filling has begun to crumble away. You can buy over-the-counter temporary dental cement to reattach a crown, but it will still need to be cleaned and re-cemented properly in the dental office. A crumbling filling isn’t an emergency, but it does need replacing quickly to prevent the tooth from becoming infected.