What if I Have an After-Hours Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies can be scary under the best circumstances, but when you cannot get ahold of your dentist, it may feel even worse. If you ever find yourself having an emergency after normal business hours, there are many steps you can take to help ensure you can safely make it to an emergency dental appointment. Schedule a consultation with Advanced Dentistry of Centre County in States College, PA to learn more about what our team can do for you.

What is a dental emergency?

Dental emergencies can be the result of any trauma to your mouth. This includes sports injuries, accidents, falls, and/or biting into hard foods. These incidents can cause several dental emergencies, including:

• Toothaches

• Chipped and broken teeth

• Dislodged restorations

• Knocked-out teeth

• Abscessed teeth

• Gum pain and swelling

• Soft tissue trauma

• Trauma to the jaw or mouth

If you have severe pain, trauma, or bleeding from your mouth, face, or jaw, you should go to the emergency room for immediate care. Our dentist will work to repair any damage once you are in a more stable condition.

What steps do I take if I have an after-hours dental emergency?

If you experience a dental emergency after normal business hours, you should try and stay calm so you can take the correct steps to save your teeth and restorations. You should contact your dentist as soon as possible to make an appointment.

• Broken Tooth: If you break a tooth, save any pieces if you can. Carefully rinse your mouth and the tooth with warm saltwater. If you experience continuous bleeding, apply gauze to the area until the bleeding stops. You can also apply an ice pack to the area to reduce any swelling you may have.

• Chipped Tooth: If a large piece of your tooth has chipped, save the piece and rinse your mouth out with warm water. The edge of your tooth may catch on your cheek or tongue. If this happens, you can apply gauze to protect your mouth.

• Knocked-out tooth: If you knock your tooth out, find the tooth and carefully rinse it with water. Do not scrub or remove any tissue off of the tooth. You should try and put the tooth back into its socket with it facing the correct way. However, you should never try to force it. If you are unable to reattach the tooth, put it in a cup of milk or mild saltwater.

• Severe Toothache: Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to help remove any food pieces that may be causing discomfort. Then, floss the area gently and apply an ice pack to your cheek in the affected area.

• Abscess: If you are experiencing painful swelling on your gumline below a tooth, there may be an abscess. You should rinse with salt water to help reduce pain and swelling.

• Damaged Restoration: If you break your restoration, you should save any pieces you find and cover the area with gauze if it catches on your gums or tongue. You can try and put the crown back onto the tooth, but do not force anything.

• Broken Filling: You should save any pieces of filling you can find and cover exposed areas with gauze if there are any sharp edges.

Where can I get treatment for a dental emergency in State College PA?

It is important to try and contact your dentist in State College, PA, so you can properly take care of your dental emergency. If you are experiencing a dental emergency, contact Advanced Dentistry of Centre County to learn how we can help you and provide a full consultation on the state of your oral health.