Many people quote “If it can go wrong, it will” and call it Murphy’s Law. Unfortunately, this saying holds true for everyone. If your wrong thing involves your teeth or mouth, it can be an especially painful proof of the statement. If you need emergency dental care, for yourself or a family member, we can help. Gentle Care Dentistry, serving the Covina, CA area, offers both new patients and existing patients excellent care for any of the painful dental situations that might occur.

What a dental emergency is:

Any issue with your teeth, jaw, gums, or anything connected with the mouth, that requires immediate attention is considered a dental emergency. There are quite a few situations that might require emergency dental care, but most dental emergencies can be broken up into just a few categories.

Some types of dental emergencies and how to handle them:

• Knocked out tooth: This is a dental emergency that requires immediate attention. If the right steps are taken directly after a tooth has been knocked out, it can often be saved. We encourage you to rinse the tooth off gently, only holding it by the crown of the tooth. Do not touch the root! After gently rinsing off the tooth, place it in a cup of milk or water if no milk is available. Call us immediately so we can get you into our office within the hour or refer you to another place to receive emergency care if it is after hours.
• Loose permanent tooth: If you get a tooth that is very loose, this requires an urgent dental visit. You can use very light pressure with your finger to attempt moving it back into the proper place. Bite down to keep the tooth from moving. Call us immediately.
• Chipped, cracked, or fractured teeth: Some chips do not require emergency dental care. If your tooth is chipped, but not painful, this is something that we treat as soon as possible but is not considered an emergency. If the tooth is cracked or fractured, we will want to see you immediately, as often there is damage to the interior of the tooth as well. Gently rinse your mouth with warm water. Use a cold compress on the outside of your mouth to minimize swelling.
• Abscessed tooth: An infected tooth can cause some of the most severe pain you will ever experience. Please call us immediately so we can advise you on the course of action necessary. You can use a cold compress on the outside of your mouth to alleviate pain. Never use heat. You can also take acetaminophen.

Tips to avoid dental emergencies:

While it’s not possible to completely avoid a dental crisis, there are things that can be done to minimize your chances. A vital step to avoid future dental emergencies is to ensure that you are having routine dental checkups with us. This helps avoid the potential for an infected tooth or other urgent dental situations. Wear a mouth guard during sports activities. This helps diminish the chances that teeth can be chipped, broken, or knocked out. Don’t chew on ice or other extremely hard food items. If you are about to go on an extended vacation, please make a routine checkup appointment with us prior to leaving.

Prepare for dental emergencies with a dental first aid kit:

• Keep our name and phone number handy.
• Keep a small, sterile container with a lid.
• Pack acetaminophen. Do not use ibuprofen or aspirin as they are blood thinners.
• Include some gauze and a handkerchief.

Dr. Luu is your best bet in an emergency:

We offer our personalized answering service with an on-call dentist for afterhours calls not just to our existing patients but to anyone needing it. We consider ourselves a part of the community and wish to offer our assistance to those in dental need. Dr. Luu wants to make your life more convenient whenever possible. That’s why she provides patients with not just family dentistry but helps with any emergency dental needs. We offer our patients same-day appointments. Call us today to schedule your consultation to find out more about our emergency dental services. +1 626-466-9596.

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