Emergency Dentist – Arcadia, CA
Helping Patients Quickly Relieve Their Dental Pain
No matter how well you take care of your teeth, sometimes accidents happen. As an emergency dentist in Arcadia, CA, Dr. Kenneth J. Canzoneri understands that, which is why our team offers fast, effective care for urgent dental health problems such as toothaches or broken teeth. If one of these situations happens to you, the most important thing is to seek treatment as soon as possible. Otherwise, the problem could worsen over time. To get your dental emergency taken care of quickly, all you have to do is contact our office.
How to Handle Dental Emergencies
Regardless of the type of dental emergency in Arcadia you’re facing, your first order of business should be giving us a call. This gives our team a chance to schedule an appointment for you, preferably later that same day. You’ll also be able to speak to one of our team members about the details of your situation who is trained on handling common dental emergencies. They may provide you with guidance that looks something like this:
Toothaches
Floss to see whether your pain is caused by an object stuck between your teeth. If not, take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen as needed. However, do NOT place aspirin directly on the gums, as it could irritate the tissue. Severe toothaches are often due to infections deep within the tooth that require root canal therapy.
Chipped/Broken Tooth
Retrieve any pieces of the tooth you can and bring them to our office. If there is swelling present, apply a cold compress to the area, removing and reapplying it every 10 minutes to prevent damage to your skin. We’ll do our utmost to repair the tooth, but if the damage is too extensive, the tooth might have to be extracted.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Pick the tooth up by its crown (top part). Do NOT touch its root or remove any tissue that may be attached to it. Gently rinse your mouth and the tooth with lukewarm water and then try to place the tooth back into its socket. If that’s not possible, hold the tooth in your cheek pocket or a tightly sealed container filled with milk until you get to our dental office. The tooth has the highest chance of successful replantation if you reach us within the hour.
Lost Filling/Crown
After locating the restoration, you can place it back on your tooth using a bit of denture adhesive, dental wax, petroleum jelly, toothpaste, or sugar-free gum. Keep in mind that this is only a temporary solution, and you’ll likely need to visit our office promptly for a more permanent reattachment or replacement of your crown or filling.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
While some dental emergencies are unavoidable accidents, most of them are the result of decay or infection that has worsened over time. You can greatly reduce your risk of having to visit our emergency dental office in Arcadia by brushing, flossing, and seeing Dr. Canzoneri for checkups on a regular basis. You should also avoid chewing on hard, inedible objects (like pencils or ice) and using your teeth as tools to open packages. If you play sports or grind your teeth at night, we recommend wearing a mouthguard to shield your teeth from damage.
The Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
The price of emergency dental care varies based on the severity of the problem. For example, a small cavity that only requires a filling will cost less to treat than a larger infection that warrants a root canal. Whatever the cost of your treatment ends up being, our team will work with you to come up with a solution that saves your smile without breaking the bank.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Will a Toothache Go Away on Its Own?
Typically, toothaches do not go away on their own. If the sensitivity, discomfort, or pressure you’ve been experiencing does subside, then it’s important that you schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist in Arcadia, Dr. Canzoneri, ASAP. After all, the change in symptoms is likely due to something dire: the nerve of your tooth dying.
Should I Visit the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?
Since hospitals don’t usually have dentists on-staff, we don’t recommend going to the ER unless you’re experiencing potentially life-threatening symptoms, like trouble breathing or uncontrollable bleeding. If that’s not the case, then your first call should be to our dental office in Arcadia. That way, a helpful member of our team can determine the urgency of the situation, schedule an appointment with Dr. Canzoneri, and walk you through how to handle your dental injury in the meantime.
How Can a Dental Abscess Be Treated?
If you notice a pimple-like bump on your gums, do NOT attempt to pop it on your own (this can cause the infection to spread throughout your mouth and body). Instead, reach out to us to schedule an emergency visit. That way, Dr. Canzoneri can carefully open and drain the abscess before providing any additional restorative care that’s needed.
Should You Put a Knocked-Out Tooth in Water?
Since a knocked-out tooth starts to die after only 15 minutes, it’s important that you handle this dental emergency in Arcadia properly, and that doesn’t include placing the tooth in water. After locating the tooth, you should pick it up by the crown (the chewing surface) and attempt to place it back in its socket. If it doesn’t slide back into position easily, then do the next best thing: put the tooth in a clean container filled with milk or saline solution.
What Can and Can’t You Eat with a Chipped or Cracked Tooth?
Until your appointment, it’s best to avoid raw almonds, popcorn, whole apples, tortilla chips, and other crunchy foods. Instead, stick to extremely soft ones that require very little chewing, like plain yogurt, pasta, mashed potatoes, and cottage cheese. Just make sure to check the temperature first since your tooth will likely be more sensitive than usual.
Is It Safe to Repair Dentures with Superglue?
No, using superglue to repair your dentures is not recommended. Not only do adhesives like this not thrive in damp environments, but they also contain toxins that are not safe to ingest. So, whether there is a small chip on the surface or your restoration has broken into several pieces, the best thing to do is to schedule an appointment with us. The sooner you do, the sooner we can begin the process of repairing or replacing your denture.
What Does Chronic Bad Breath Mean?
Oftentimes, patients assume that the unpleasant odor is stemming from an untreated oral health problem. While that’s certainly possible, your diet or oral hygiene regimen could also be to blame. So, try steering clear of pungent foods, like fish, and committing to a solid dental care routine at home. If that doesn’t work, then schedule an exam at our office.