Emergency Dentist – Catonsville, MD

Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency? Toothaches can have several causes, ranging from minor to severe. If your toothache is significant or persists, it's recommended to contact us for assistance. Even pain that comes and goes should be a cause for concern. Additionally, be sure to reach out if you experience a high fever, swelling, or notice pimple-like bumps on your gums, as these may indicate an infection.

How you should handle a toothache: Begin by using floss to eliminate any potential food debris between your teeth. If the pain persists, take ibuprofen and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Avoid aspirin, as it can cause a burning sensation when in contact with the gums.

How we treat toothaches: Following a thorough examination of your tooth, we’ll determine the most effective treatment for your dental emergency. Common solutions for minor toothaches include fillings, antibiotics, and prescription mouthwashes. More severe cases may require gum disease treatment, root canal treatment, or extraction as a last resort.

Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency? While chipped teeth typically don't qualify as emergencies, it's important to contact our office promptly when it happens. Chipped teeth have the potential to worsen, leading to further damage and exposing the inner portion of the tooth. This heightened vulnerability increases the risk of decay and infection from oral bacteria.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: Avoid touching the exposed area and avoid chewing on it until it can be restored. If you experience pain, take a painkiller like ibuprofen and use an ice pack to reduce any facial swelling.

How we treat chipped teeth: For minor chips, tooth-colored composite resin is often sufficient to reshape and restore the tooth. In cases where the chip is more noticeable, a veneer may be a preferable solution, especially if you prioritize the appearance of your smile.

Learn More About Veneers

Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency? Minor damage is typically non-urgent, meaning you can wait until regular business hours for attention. However, more severe cases, especially if the cracks extend beneath the gum line, require immediate attention. Since not all cracks are visible to the naked eye, it's essential to seek professional help if you experience sensitivity or pain while biting down.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: Refrain from biting down on the affected tooth until you can visit our office. Use ibuprofen as necessary and apply a cold compress to your cheek for 10 minutes, followed by a 10-minute break to prevent skin damage. This process can be repeated for up to one hour.

How we treat cracked teeth: For relatively minor damage, we may use dental bonding material (the same used for tooth-colored fillings). More severe cases often require a dental crown, while extraction may be necessary if the tooth cannot be salvaged.

Very Sensitive Teeth  

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? That depends on how long the sensitivity has persisted, how severe it is, and if it’s present in tandem with other abnormal dental symptoms. Since it’s better to be safe, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our Catonsville dentist if the sensitivity is present seemingly without a trigger, like eating something extremely cold.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth While you may not be able to treat the root of the problem at home, there are certain things you can do to try and alleviate your discomfort. With this in mind, use a desensitizing toothpaste, avoid hot beverages, and steer clear of cold foods.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth Oftentimes, dental sensitivity is the result of a cavity, which we can treat with a tooth-colored filling or dental crown. If the decay has worked its way into the inner layers of your tooth, then root canal treatment may be necessary instead. Ultimately, the treatment we recommend depends on what we find during your exam.

Knocked-Out Tooth  

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes! In fact, even if your tooth is still in place but is barely hanging on, you should contact our Catonsville dental team ASAP. There’s only a finite amount of time where we can save it, and we need to give you specific instructions on how to protect it until you arrive at our office.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth If you aren’t able to locate your tooth, that’s okay – simply head to our office. If you are able to locate your tooth, then it’s important to submerge it in a container filled with milk or place it back in the socket to preserve the root.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth How we intervene depends on several factors, starting with if you have your tooth. If you do, then we will see if saving it is feasible. If you don’t, then we will get to work on restoring your smile with one of our lifelike tooth-replacement solutions.

Lost Filling or Crown  

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Yes, both a lost filling and a lost crown are dental emergencies that warrant a call to our Catonsville dental team right away. The sooner you call, the sooner we can schedule your appointment with Dr. Bemani.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown Without your restoration securely in place, your tooth is vulnerable to damage. So, don’t chew on that side of your mouth, periodically rinse your mouth with clean, room-temperature water, and take an OTC pain reliever (as directed) to manage your discomfort.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns If your filling or crown was old, then we will likely recommend having it replaced with a new one to prevent this situation from arising again. If, on the other hand, your dental crown is still in good shape, then we may be able to re-cement it back in place.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? Yes, a broken denture is an urgent oral issue. Wearing the device would injure your gums, soft tissues, and remaining teeth. As such, call our office at once if its artificial teeth or base are damaged.

How you should handle a broken denture: For starters, don’t try to wear the broken denture. (It’ll cause damage or harm your mouth.) Next, quickly see us for denture repairs. Attempting a DIY fix will create complications.

How we treat broken dentures: Treatment for a broken denture can vary. At our office, we might use composite resin to fill in a small chip or crack. Alternatively, we may readjust the denture’s fit. Our team could even fit you for a replacement if the current item can’t be fixed.

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Loose Permanent Tooth

Are loose permanent teeth a dental emergency? In fact, loose permanent teeth count as a dental emergency. They’re at risk of falling out of your mouth, creating smile gaps. You’d then see a major decline in your oral health.

How you should handle loose permanent teeth: The first step is to call our office. As you wait for your visit, don’t touch the tooth or eat hard or sticky foods. You should also clean your mouth by swishing warm water.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: Before anything else, we’ll try to save your tooth. Our team will likely attempt a dental splint or similar treatment first. That said, the tooth may need an extraction if it can’t be saved. We’d then fill the resulting gap with a dental bridge or implant.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

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Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? If the injury is severe, it’s certainly a dental emergency. Failing to treat it could lead to excessive bleeding. So, you should see your dentist just to be safe.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: Start by rinsing the cut gently with water. (Doing so washes away debris and bacteria.) From there, apply a clean cloth or gauze until bleeding stops. If you’d like, you could also use a cold compress to manage swelling.

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: If necessary, Dr. Bemani can stitch the wound closed and keep it clean. However, you should visit an ER if bleeding doesn’t stop within 10 minutes.

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? While it may affect your day-to-day, jaw pain often isn’t a dental emergency. Still, it can lead to serious oral health issues if it persists.

How you should handle jaw pain: It’d be best if you called us, as our staff can offer guidance an actual visit. They may suggest OTC pain relievers, ice packs for swelling, and more. Visit your local ER immediately, though, if your jaw is broken or dislocated. We can address associated smile problems afterward.

How we treat jaw pain: If your pain stems from teeth grinding, a custom nightguard for bruxism would help. On the other hand, we could extract any impacted wisdom teeth that ache.

Learn More About Nightguards for Bruxism

Learn More About Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Is something stuck between the teeth a dental emergency? Usually, an object stuck between teeth isn’t a dental emergency. It only becomes urgent if it’s causing a lot of pain. In the latter case, call our office and we’ll confirm how to solve the problem.

How you should handle something stuck between the teeth: Don’t use tweezers, toothpicks, or sharp objects to dislodge debris. Instead, floss near the affected area. You could also do a vigorous mouth rinse.

How we treat something stuck between the teeth: Our team is equipped to remove foreign objects from between teeth. If you need help with such material, come visit us!