Don’t Let a Dental Emergency Derail the Holidays

Happy holidays Plano! Welcome back to the ongoing dental health blog of 1st In Smiles. Both at our office and in life, the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year. There’s so much shopping to be done, decorations to be put-up in your home, and massive meals to be prepared. Despite the all that’s happening, we hope your holiday season has been free of stress.

If you experience a dental emergency, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with stress. Dental emergencies can prevent you from eating your favorite foods, keep you awake at night, and simply ruin your mood. You may not even know where to turn for help.

At 1st In Smiles in Plano, TX, we want to be your dental emergency clinic. We do our best to offer same-day emergency dentist appointments whenever possible. We have early morning hours, evening hours, and even Saturday hours to best serve our patients.

If you’re currently experiencing a non-life-threatening dental emergency, stop whatever you’re doing and call our office at 972-380-8105. But there are certain steps you can take to ease your pain before you get to our office. Read on for tips on handling dental emergencies.

I Have a Recurring Toothache

Toothaches are not something to be ignored! If you are suffering from a recurring toothache, or sensitivity to hold or cold temperatures, you may have an infected tooth or deep cavity. Contact 1st In Smiles in Plano, TX, right away to schedule your appointment.

We will perform a dental exam to determine the source of your toothache, and get you on the path to a healthier smile. In the interim, you can try using a cold compress and ibuprofen to relieve the pain. You may also want to try swishing warm water around the affected tooth.

My Gums Are Sensitive And/or Bleeding

Pain in your gums is often a sign of gum disease. If your gums are bleeding, swollen, or inflamed, you should contact our office right away. Do not put anything such as a topical anesthetic or alcohol on your gums! These products can cause your gums to become infected. Instead, try using a non-aspirin based pain reliever until you can get into our office. (Aspirin can worsen any bleeding which you’re currently experiencing.)

I’ve Broken And/or Chipped My Tooth

If you’ve broken or chipped a tooth, try to keep any loose fragments of your tooth. You’ll want to bring them with you into the office. If you are bleeding, apply gauze or cotton balls to the source of the bleeding. You may also want to cover any sharp edges of the tooth with gauze to prevent any cuts to the inside of your mouth. Take an aspirin-free pain reliever, then get into our office!

My Tooth Has Been Knocked-Out

If at all possible, save the tooth! If you get to our office soon enough, we may be able to place in back into its socket. Only handle the tooth by its crown (the top portion) and keep any remaining tissue on the tooth. You can prolong the life of the tooth for about a couple of hours by placing it in a container of milk, or about a day by using a product called Save-A-Tooth.

My Dental Restoration (Filling, Crown, Bridge, Etc). Has Fallen Out

Save the dental restoration and bring it with you to the office. With the exception of composite dental fillings, most dental restorations can be reused. You can also try and put the restoration back in place temporarily using dental cement, but that’s only an effective option for a few hours. Get into our office right away, and we’ll bond the dental restoration back into place if possible.

Make an Appointment

Do you need a same-day emergency dentist appointment? Then contact your emergency dental clinic at 1st In Smiles in Plano, TX right away. You can reach our office at 972-380-8105.