Get the facts about emergency dental care.
Your child just got hit in the face with a ball and now they have a cracked tooth. You woke up in the middle of the night with an aching tooth. These instances happen all too often. Luckily, when these emergencies occur, our Kapolei, HI, dentists Dr. Cherryvel Schmidt, Dr. Ivan Colon, and Dr. Genara Alcantra offer the same-day dentistry you need.
When is a dental problem an emergency?
Not all issues will result in immediate or same-day care, but it’s important that our patients here in Kapolei, HI, know when to turn to emergency dentistry. Some of the most common dental emergencies we treat include:
- A toothache (a sign of a cavity, or a damaged or infected tooth)
- Oral bleeding that doesn’t stop
- Knocked-out tooth
- Dislodged or partially dislodged tooth
- An abscessed tooth
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Swelling of the jaws or face
- Damaged or lost filling, crown, or braces
How do I handle a dental emergency?
If you are unsure about whether or not you are dealing with a true dental emergency, don’t worry; our dental team would be happy to discuss your issues over the phone to determine whether you should come in right away for care or whether you can come into the office in the next day or two. True dental emergencies require immediate care so if you are unsure, just give us a call.
But I’m in pain. What can I do?
While we will treat the problem to help you feel better quickly, we also know that the pain and discomfort of certain dental issues can be miserable. We don’t want our patients to suffer through the pain. You can take an anti-inflammatory to ease pain and swelling. You may also apply ice or a cold compress to the injured side of the face.
My tooth broke into pieces or came out. What should I do?
Whether your tooth was knocked out or your tooth is broken into pieces it’s important to save these pieces. With a knocked-out tooth, you should either put it back in your mouth to keep it moist or, at the very least, place it in a closed container with milk and immediately come to our office so we can reattach it.
With broken teeth, you’ll also want to collect the pieces and store them in a container of milk and bring them into our office. In some cases, the pieces may not be salvageable but we will place a dental crown over the tooth to protect and restore it.
Don’t let a dental emergency become worse by not knowing where to turn. Our Kapolei, HI, dental team provides fast, effective emergency dentistry to children, teens, and adults. If you’re dealing with a true dental emergency, call Rainbow Dental Center at (808) 674-9090 today.