At Beautiful Smiles Dental, we know dental problems don’t follow a “regular schedule.” They can occur any time. Dr. Zaihly Azar has significant experience in providing urgent care for San Diego patients with all sorts of dental emergencies, from toothaches to broken restorations to traumatic damage to the teeth and gums. If you have a dental emergency, delaying care will only make the problem worse. Contact the office or stop in during our normal office hours to receive prompt care so you can relieve your symptoms and continue to enjoy optimal oral health.
When most people hear “urgent care” or “emergency dentistry,” they think of major issues like a tooth that’s been knocked out. Though that’s certainly an emergency, there are plenty of other issues that require urgent care, including:
Toothaches
Sore, swollen gums
Teeth that are broken, cracked, or chipped
Loose adult teeth
Broken or lost dentures or bridges
Broken, loose, or missing crowns or filling
Damaged implants
Some problems require immediate, same-day care, while others may wait until the next day. In any case, you should call the office to schedule an appointment or, if you’re in the area, stop in for a walk-in appointment.
If the tooth is in good shape, it may be able to be “replanted” into your jaw, avoiding the need for a prosthetic replacement. Rinse the tooth gently, taking care not to touch the root, which can be easily damaged. Then try to place it back in the socket if you can and head right to the office or the nearest emergency room. If you can’t place it back in the socket, you can place it between your cheek and your gum (be careful not to swallow) or place it in a glass of water or milk, then seek care right away. It’s important not to delay care since the tooth root can “die” if the tooth is not promptly replanted.
First, call the office and schedule an urgent care visit. You should never ignore a toothache, even if it “goes away” since it’s a sign of a problem which, if ignored, will become much worse. You can temporarily relieve discomfort with over-the-counter pain relievers and by rinsing your mouth with a mild saltwater rinse to help reduce swelling.
One of the best things you can do to avoid dental emergencies is take good care of your teeth. That means brushing and flossing and having routine checkups and cleanings, as well as eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D and avoiding foods that, if chewed, can damage teeth, like hard candy and ice. Healthy teeth are stronger and less likely to become damaged. It’s also important to wear a mouthguard (or sports guard) whenever you play sports or engage in other activity where your mouth could be injured.
