Because patient care is a priority at our office, we are here if you experience a dental emergency. We offer same-day emergency care. Here are some tips if you experience the following emergencies:
Toothache
A toothache is a sign that something is wrong - either your gums are infected, you have an abscessed tooth, have exposed roots, etc. We recommend first rinsing your mouth with warm salt water. Then apply a cold pack to the side of the jaw where you are experiencing the toothache. This will help alleviate the pain and any swelling. For temporary pain relief, you can take acetaminophen.
Cut Lip or Tongue
If your lip or tongue is bleeding, firmly apply pressure with a clean cloth to stop the bleeding. If the bleeding does not stop within 10-15 minutes, call us. It may be necessary to go to the emergency room.
Broken Tooth
If you break a tooth, collect any tooth fragments and save them for us. We recommend rinsing the area with warm water and then putting a cold compress over the area. Call us immediately.
Knocked Out Tooth
If your tooth gets knocked out, it is important to recover the tooth and place it in a container filled with milk or water. Time is vital so it is important to contact us and see Dr. Lewis within an hour so that we can work to save your tooth.
Broken Jaw
If you sustain an injury to your jaw and think it may be broken, we recommend keeping your jaws closed by wrapping a tie or towel around your face. For a broken jaw, it is best to go straight to the emergency room.
Should an emergency occur, please call us as soon as possible. We can give you further instructions regarding the emergency and can see you promptly if necessary.