Can An Emergency Tooth Extraction Be Avoided?

There are very few things in this world that people fear more than having to go to the dentist to have a tooth extracted. The pain, the blood, the awful feeling of having one of your teeth “ripped” from your mouth. It’s enough to make even the biggest, toughest “manly” man shiver and hide under the covers.

However, as a dental office in Charlotte that provides emergency dental care, you would be surprised at how many people call us at all hours of the day and night “begging” for us to pull out their painful teeth. After listing to these calls for a while it is plainly obvious just how painful a severe toothache can be.

Call Us For Emergency Tooth Extractions in Charlotte

Of course will extract the tooth that is causing you so much pain, however, we only recommend doing so if pulling the tooth is the best course of action for you. What do I mean? Well, sometimes extracting the tooth may not be the best dental option. Actually, it is almost always preferable to try to save a tooth – if that’s at all possible.

Consider this…what happens once you pull out one of your teeth? Of course, one option is to do nothing and just leave an empty space where your tooth once was. However, this is not recommended. The reason is because your teeth support each, and when one goes missing that makes the others that were next to it more vulnerable. The loss of a tooth promotes bone loss on the jaw which then typically leads to more teeth become loose and less stable.

It’s like a really bad domino effect in your mouth!

Another option once you’ve lost a tooth is to replace it with a prosthetic, like a denture or dental implant. Modern dentistry has come a long way so today’s dentures and implants work really well for a lot of people, but they’re just never as good as having your natural teeth in your mouth, and they can be an expensive option!

So, once again… Yes, we will perform an emergency tooth extraction if that is the best option given your situation, and that can only be determined once you come in to our office and are examined by a dentist who will take x-rays and see what’s causing your toothache and determine if your natural tooth can be saved.

For more information about emergency tooth extractions in our Charlotte office give us a call.

A Solution For An Evening Toothache In Charlotte, NC

What You Can Do When A Painful Toothache Happens Late In The Evening in Charlotte NC?

If you get a toothache around the weekend or some other day your dentist’s office is closed you need to find an alternative or you will spend the night suffering.

One thing you need to do is locate an emergency dentist in the Charlotte area, whether you’re in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Union, or Gaston County.

When you call an emergency dentist due to a painful toothache you need to provide the following information to the person who answers the phone. Remember, if you call late at night you’ll most likely get the dentist’s answering service. These people are there to take your call, answer your questions, and forward the information they get from you onto the on-call dentist. So here are some questions you will need to answer:

On a scale of 1-10 how painful is your toothache? The answer is important because if your pain is less than 7 then you definitely still need to see a dentist but it might now be enough to qualify as a dental emergency.
Have you taken any pain medication?
Is your toothache the result of injury or trauma?
Do you have swollen/bleeding gums?
Are you pregnant?
How will you be traveling to the dentist’s office?
Is the toothache involving a tooth that has had root canal previously?
Do you have an infection in your mouth?
Do you need to be sedated in order to get dental treatment?
Do you have insurance to cover the cost of your treatment or will you be paying out-of-pocket?

Important… If you do not get hold of a “live” answering service person, and instead you get an answering machine, you MUST still provide as much information for the person who will be retrieving your message and forwarding it onto the dentist. Please speak slowly and as clearly as possible.

What If You Have a Severe Infection or Dental Abscess in Charlotte NC?

A dental abscess is a very serious health condition. Waiting for treatment is NOT optional. You MUST seek treatment immediately. So, if you cannot get immediate help from the emergency dentist you must go to the local hospital in Charlotte.

Here are several hospitals in the Charlotte area:

Carolinas Medical Center
1000 Blythe Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28203
Phone: (704) 355-2000

Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast
920 Church St N
Concord, NC 28025
Phone: (704) 403-3000

Caromont Regional Medical Center
2525 Court Dr
Gastonia, NC 28054
Phone: (704) 834-2000

Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy
2001 Vail Ave
Charlotte, NC 28207
Phone: (704) 304-5000

Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center
200 Hawthorne Ln
Charlotte, NC 28204
Phone:(704) 384-4000

Novant Health Matthews Medical Center
1500 Matthews Township Pkwy
Matthews, NC 28105
Phone:(704) 384-6500

Over The Counter Toothache Remedies

If what you have is a toothache with no severe infection or dental abscess, and you cannot get an immediate dental appointment then the next best thing is to schedule your dental appointment for the morning and then use some over the counter toothache pain remedies. One such remedy is clove oil. Rub the clove oil around the area where you’re experiencing pain – you’ll find it provides a pleasant numbing sensation which should help get you through the night.

We hope that the information provided in this article, as well as in other articles found at dentalemergencycharlotte.com help you solve your dental issues.

Immediate Care For a Chipped Tooth

Do you have a chipped or broken tooth?

Anybody can chip or break a tooth. It may happen as a result of a silly accident like walking into a door or even from biting down on a piece of hard candy. A cracked or broken tooth may happen due to a cavity which has weakened the tooth. Whatever the reason may be, it can definitely be fixed. You just need to stay clam and take the right steps so you don’t end up loosing your tooth.

Chipped Tooth Repair in Charlotte, NC

As soon as you chip or break a tooth you need to immediately rinse the mouth area with salt water and take an non-prescription pain reliever like acetaminophen if you’re in pain. In the event that the edge of your chipped tooth is sharp or is jagged, then you should place some wax or sugarless chewed gum over it so it does not cut your cheek or tongue.

The next step is to book a dental appointment with a dentist in the Charlotte area, preferably with us!

The first thing that is going to be done is a complete and thorough examination of the chipped tooth. If the tooth is in otherwise good condition we will only need to repair it with a filling so that it looks brand-new and it is still functional.

However, in the event the chipped tooth is one of your front teeth, we can do a procedure called bonding where a tooth colored material is bonded to the tooth utilizing an adhesive so your tooth looks like nothing ever happened to it! Nobody will be able to tell that your particular tooth was chipped or blemished in any way.

On the other hand, if the tooth that was chipped was unhealthy due to a cavity or other dental problem, a root canal and dental crown procedure might have to be done to save your tooth from having to be pulled. In addition, if the majority of the tooth is broken and/or there is extensive decay within it, then this remaining portion of the tooth will likely need to be filed down and a cap or crown placed over it.

Now, if the root of your chipped/broken tooth is still healthy, then a root canal may be done where a pin or post will need to be positioned in the tooth’s canal. Then, a structure will be developed around the tooth plus a crown placed into the structure to provide the tooth a restored appearance.

As you can tell, chipping your tooth is not pleasant but it is also not the end of your tooth…it can be saved! However, a good result will only be possible for you and your chipped tooth if you call an emergency dentist in Charlotte immediately after your tooth gets damaged. All you have to do is call us and we’ll have your tooth looking completely new right away.

Call us 24/7 if you need chipped tooth repair in Charlotte, NC.

Root Canal Treatment Can Help Save A Tooth That Is Close To Being Lost

Many people cringe when they hear the words, “root canal”. However, root canal therapy can save a tooth from being lost.

Why is that important? Well, have you ever spoken with someone who has lost their teeth and has a full set of dentures? Ask them if they like wearing dentures. And, ask them what they would give to have their “real” teeth back.

The truth is that for most people who have lost their teeth and now wear dentures eating meals is not as enjoyable as it used to be. In fact, many folks who have false teeth state that they no any longer enjoy the pleasure of eating. Also, there are actually certain foods such as an apples or even a well done steak which can be almost impossible to eat with false teeth.

Therefore, you want to make sure you keep your teeth as long as you can. However, over time teeth wear out. Poor dental hygiene can lead to cavities and decay which damages the strength and integrity of your teeth. Sometimes the damage to a tooth is so severe that the only way to “save” it is with root canal treatment.

As explained above, a root canal with a crown can be a much better option than a tooth extraction.

So many people are afraid of root canals. True, in the past, a root canal had been a dental procedure that could be very painful. However, with today’s technology and precise dental equipment it really is as elementary as having a filling.

This is especially true due to digital x-ray machines. Today’s newer digital x-ray machines allow the dentists to be more precise when drilling a root canal. This precision created a virtually painless root canal procedure, and even more importantly, helps the dentist save your tooth.

if you have a painful toothache in Charlotte area you may require a root canal in order to save your tooth. Therefore, it is critical that you get examined as soon as possible because if you wait too long the dentist may not be able to save your tooth through root canal treatment and his only option may be a tooth extraction.

Call our Charlotte dental office today for more information about root canal treatment.

3 Dental Emergencies We Can Deal With Right Away

There are certain conditions of the mouth, gums, and teeth that require immediate attention so they don’t become more serious. Here are among the more common ones that you’ll want to get assistance with in our Charlotte office.

1. Infection or Dental Abscess

For those who have an infection in the gums or abscess you MUST get this treat as soon as possible. When infections first occur, they might just hurt or cause your breath to be bad, however if they aren’t looked after they are able to spread from your mouth, into your blood stream and throughout your entire body. And, any infection that spreads through your blood can cause death. This is why you need to call us immediately if you think you might have an infection in your mouth.

2. Broken Tooth

If you break a tooth for any reason then you ought to get it looked at by a dentist right away or you could lose your tooth. If you get to our office soon after the tooth is broken we will be very likely to fix the tooth and save you the trouble and expense of having to replace a missing tooth with a denture or implant.

3. A Persistent Toothache

A toothache can be caused by many things, such as dental decay from poor hygiene, an injury, an infection, a cavity, etc. A toothache, if it is not too severe can be ignored for some time…but it shouldn’t be. The fact is that most toothaches don’t just go away on their own. They typically get worse until they become a dental emergency. The best course of action to take is to get yourself to a dentist when you have a toothache so that the cause of the pain can be treated. If you wait too long it may end up that the only option available to your dentist is to extract the tooth. Again, if that happens, you’ll be left with a missing tooth that will need to be replaced by a denture or dental implant.

We hope that the above information helps you take care of any dental problems that arise. If you need and emergency dentist in Charlotte call our office 24/7.