Emergency Dentistry in Calgary
If you are dealing with a dental issue, the first call should always be to your dentist. But what happens if you experience a dental issue outside of your dentist’s normal business hours?
At Inglewood Family Dental, we understand that a dental emergency can be a frightening time which is why we are available to help you with any emergency dentistry issues you may be experiencing. When it comes to after hour dental issues, knowing the difference between a simple dental problem and a true dental emergency that could cost you your tooth is important.
How Do I Know if it is a Dental Emergency?
Not every dental issue is a dental emergency and many issues can typically wait until the next day when your dentist’s office is open. However, some situations require immediate care from an emergency dentist or the emergency room. If you are experiencing dental issues, some simple questions can help you determine if you are experiencing a dental emergency and need to be seen right away. Are you in severe pain? Have you lost or have a loose adult tooth? Do you have signs of an infection, such as swelling or knots on your gums or around the face? Are you experiencing bleeding from the mouth that won’t stop? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you are experiencing a dental emergency. Contact your Calgary dentist immediately even if it is after hours. We provide after-hours and weekend appointments for emergency dentistry and can treat a wide variety of dental emergency cases.
Chipped, Cracked, or Fractured Teeth
If you have experience facial trauma that results in a chipped, cracked, or fractured tooth, this may or may not be a dental emergency. If the damage tooth does not cause pain or have any sharp edges, chances are you can wait until your dentist opens in the morning. If you are experiencing severe pain or the tooth has sharp edges that are causing trauma to your mouth, this requires emergency dentistry intervention.
Emergency Dentistry for Knocked-Out or Loose Teeth
Experiencing facial trauma that knocks out an adult tooth is a dental emergency and requires immediate attention, both on your part and the need for emergency dentistry in Calgary. Several steps must be taken with the tooth to improve the chances of it being able to be implanted and saved. Pick up the tooth, using care not to touch the root. Rinse the tooth gently in cool water to remove any dirt or debris. If possible, gently place the tooth back into the socket. If this is not possible, keep the tooth in a small container with milk and seek immediate dental care. The longer you wait for treatment, the less chance you have of saving the tooth.
If your tooth remained in place but is loose or out of alignment, contact our emergency dentist immediately for an appointment. The dentist may need to splint the tooth in order to provide stabilization, so it does not fall out.
Severe Tooth Pain with an Abscess
Severe tooth pain accompanied with an abscess can be a life-threatening condition and you must seek immediate care with emergency dentistry. An abscess can present as a lump on your gums or swelling in your face. In addition to pain, you may experience a foul-smell and a high fever. If you have had a toothache for some time and all of the sudden the pain stops or you lose sensation in the area, this could mean that you have an abscess close to a nerve. If you cannot access an emergency dentist, head to the hospital emergency room.
What is Not an Emergency Dentistry Situation?
While problematic, the loss of a filling or crown is not an emergency unless you are experiencing pain. A crown can be temporarily put back in place with the use of over-the-counter dental or denture adhesive until you can make an appointment with your regular dentist during normal business hours.
Schedule An Emergency Dentistry Appointment
With any dental emergency, contact your dentist first. Even if it is after hours, we are happy to assist and help determine if you have a dental emergency.
If you are experiencing a dental emergency, please call our office immediately at (403) 265-5888 to schedule an emergency dentistry visit with Dr. Arash Ravanbakhsh.
Call us at (403) 265-5888 to request your consultation at Inglewood Family Dental today!
FAQ About Emergency Dentist
What Is Considered A Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency can range from pain in your gums, to serious infections and even traumatic events. What is usually considered an emergency would be infections and fractures or any matter that is urgent where when you have pain that is sudden or any sensitivity to cold or hot drinks along with sweets.
Can the Emergency Room Pull A Tooth?
At least in the US it is illegal in most states for anyone other than a dentist to pull a tooth. It is said that most people who live in Canada try going to the ER for tooth pain rather than a dentist but that is changing quickly with the emergence of emergency dentistry practices throughout Canada. The only solution they can give you if you go to the ER with tooth pain is pain medication. They are not able to perform extractions in most cases.
Do They Have A Dentist in the ER?
This all depends on what emergency room you go to. There may or may not be an oral surgeon or dentist on call. Some dental emergencies require you to be looked at by a dentist include dislodged teeth, fractures or broken teeth as well as severe pain. Most emergency rooms do have dentists on call 24 hours a day, but it is not always guaranteed. If you are in need of emergency dentistry, contact us today and we would be happy to accommodate you in your time of need.
