Five Reasons To Call A 24 Hour Dentist

Dental emergencies don’t care for the time of day. It could be two in the morning, and your tooth will start aching. This is where a 24-hour dentist can become a valuable solution to have in hand as you’re hoping to get treated.

Here are five reasons why a 24-hour dentist is of utmost importance to patients.

1) Immediate Treatment

The biggest benefit is the immediacy of treatment. You will be able to race in as soon as the problem flares up and know a professional dentist is ready to assist on the spot.

2) Prevents Future Dental Concerns

It is not just about handling dental problems right now, but about the future too. A patient will want a comprehensive solution, which will ensure the problem does not creep up in the long-term.

3) Can Provide Prescriptions

This dentist will be able to provide a prescription right away. This will enable the right medication to be taken (if necessary). Having to wait around to get a prescription filled is never a positive experience, which is why it’s best to go with a professional who can do so.

4) Trained Professionals

These are certified professionals just like any other dentist and will be well-versed with a range of dental concerns. This will ensure no risks are being taken when being diagnosed.

5) Close To Home

The biggest benefit when under duress is having a treatment option close to home. A valuable 24-hour dentist is going to be close to home for all of your requirements. This will save time and ensure the teeth are being looked at as soon as possible.

You don’t want this to be delayed.

Start looking for a nearby 24-hour dentist in Charlotte as soon as you can before an emergency dental concern arises.

Questions You Can Ask Your Emergency Dentist When You Call

Calling your emergency dentist can be anxiety inducing. Not only are you or someone in your family suffering from an emergency, but there are are many things you need to cover before finding out your treatment options and how soon you can come in.

Have the following questions ready when you call us. Not only will it make you feel better knowing what to ask, but it will help us speed up the process and get you the help you need.

What Constitutes An Emergency? Am I Having An Emergency?

Some people are hesitant to call because they don’t think they’re actually having an emergency. Even if you’re not sure, you should still call! It doesn’t hurt to ask. Good rule of thumb is that if you’ve lost a tooth, broken a tooth, or have an infection… yes it’s an emergency!

When Can I Come In?

Emergency dentists exist to help you outside of usual office hours, such as at night or during the weekend. You also don’t need to make an appointment a lot of the time. (Although it’s recommended.) However, it’s always good to know when you can come in and when you can expect to be treated.

What Are My Payment Options?

Dental work can be expensive, but the good news is that we accept a variety of insurance. Feel free to ask what your payment options are. We even offer financing to patients who qualify.

Now that you know what you can ask, you’ll be better prepared when you make your call. When you’re in an emergency situation, it’s easy to lose track of your thoughts and forget something critical. Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered, from asking how you can pay, when you can come in, and whether or not you’re having an emergency.

Tips To Remember When Calling An Emergency Dentist

A dental emergency can happen at any time of day or night, but they often seem to happen at the most inconvenient times. In such circumstances, you will need to call an emergency dentist so that you can be treated as quickly as possible. By doing so, you will have the best chance for a successful outcome.

Call our office right away so that we can schedule an appointment for you. The longer that you wait to call, the harder it will be to save a tooth that has been knocked out, for example. If you do not feel up to talking on the phone, have someone else make the call for you.

If you have had a tooth knocked out, it is important to get treatment as quickly as possible. If you come in to our office within 30 minutes, we can probably reinsert your tooth and save it. If you delay, the odds of a successful outcome go down significantly.

Be sure to pick up the tooth by the crown, rather than the root. Rinse it gently with a saline solution. Do not scrub it or remove any tissue that is attached. Try to put the tooth back in the socket and bite down gently.

If the tooth will not go back into the socket, put it in a small amount of milk to preserve it. Bring the tooth with you to our office so that the dentist can reinsert it into the socket.

Take painkillers if you are experiencing a great deal of pain and discomfort. Applying an ice pack to the afflicted area can also help. Do not put any sort of painkiller directly on the gum or tooth, however.

In a dental emergency, time is of the essence. Call our office right away so that we can see you as soon as possible.

The Various Types Of Emergencies Your Dentist Can Treat

Picture this: you’re happily munching on dinner when suddenly your tooth pops out! What do you do? First thing you’re likely to do is call a Charlotte dental office and see what he or she can do to help.

Losing a tooth isn’t the only emergency you may suffer from, however. The following are what constitute as an emergency, and therefore should be top priority. Even if we don’t have your problem listed here, you should still give us a call to find out if you’re dealing with something that needs immediate attention.

Broken Or Missing Tooth

If one of your teeth falls out or you otherwise break a tooth, call us immediately. Also make sure you keep the tooth or piece of tooth in a germ-free environment for as long as possible, and be sure to bring it in with you. Even in a broken tooth’s case, we may be able to repair it using your natural tooth.

Infections

Tooth and gum infections are serious things that must be tended to immediately. Failure to get prompt treatment may mean more problems than just what’s going on in your mouth. If your gums are oozing or you have a foul odor that’s not related to just a bad case of breath, call us right away before your life is on the line.

Severe Pain

Sometimes cavity and other types of pain is so bad you can’t wait another day. Call us if you are suffering from debilitating pain in the mouth. Apply a warm towel or heating pad to the affected area and take the pain medication you’re okay with until we can get you in.

There are other types of emergencies that may qualify, but these are the three big ones. Don’t be shy. Your teeth and overall health need immediate attention.

What Dental Emergencies Can Be Treated By A Dentist?

Dentists are capable of tending to all sorts of emergencies. While emergency dentists do exist, sometimes you can go to your regular dentist, even outside of normal office hours.

But what constitutes as a dental emergency that your Charlotte dentist can treat? Check out our list below to see if your issue is really an emergency.

1. Infected Teeth And Gums

You don’t want to mess around with an infection. If an infection is allowed to spread, your heart or brain may be in danger. If you have pus oozing from your gums or there is a very foul odor coming from your teeth, then you may have an infection. Even if it turns out that you don’t, it’s much better to be safe than sorry.

2. Missing Or Broken Teeth

Did you chip a tooth? Did a tooth or a cap/filling fall out? If so, you might be having an emergency situation. It is possible to save your teeth, so we highly recommend that you keep it on standby and, above all, don’t panic. We’ll get you in as soon as possible so we can get your teeth back into working order.

3. Previous Dental Work Backfiring

It’s rare, but it can happen. If you just had some intense dental work done, you are at a higher risk of infection and having other issues. This may not even be your fault, but whether it is or not, it is definitely a medical emergency if it happens to you. Don’t be afraid to call us and tell us if something has happened.

There are many things that count as an emergency when it comes to your teeth. The above three are merely examples, and we encourage you to call us if you think you may be having any kind of emergency at all.

Questions You’ll Need To Answer When Calling Your Dentist With An Emergency

Communication is a two-way street, especially in the medical field. When it comes to dental emergencies, however, people tend to panic and clam up. If you think dental emergencies may be a problem in your household, make sure you have these questions answered before you call.

What Is The Nature Of The Emergency?

It’s important you know as much as possible about what’s going on. Did you break a tooth? Do you have an infection? Are you in so much pain that you can barely function? If you have the precise words, use them. That way the dentist will have a better understanding of what’s going on and what he can do to help.

What Is Your Pertinent Dental History?

Is there anything we should know about your dental history? Do you have a pattern of infections? Have you had recent work done that this may be coming from? Even if we did the work on you, we see a lot of patients and need you to be as transparent as possible.

How Immediate Is The Emergency?

Do you need to be seen right away, or can it wait a day? Infections should be seen right away. It’s possible that a broken tooth or pain can wait another day. We’ll give you advice on how to survive overnight.

What Insurance Do You Have?

The sooner we clear your insurance, the sooner we can get started. Have your insurance card on hand to give us the information we need to help you.

Being prepared is one of the most important things you can do before calling your dentist about an emergency. By knowing right away what’s going on, what may be causing it, and what you’ve done to help it, we can get you into the office quicker and fixed up with no problem.

What To Do When Your Tooth Gets Chipped

Perhaps you have been with your friends at a restaurant enjoying a fine meal when instantly you sense something breaks in your mouth? You look at your chewed food and discover that a large piece of your tooth has broken off.

Our teeth are probably the strongest tissues within our body, and yes it takes a lot for one of them to break. However, it can happen to anyone. This is very true if your tooth has decayed due to neglecting proper oral hygiene. The worst part of chipping your tooth is that doing so usually leaves you in pain because the root may be exposed.

This pain could be severe and when going through this type of pain your mind will be able to focus on nothing other than ways to get the pain to stop. However, before you get to pain relief it is essential to call your family dentist immediately to make a consultation appointment. Or, if your family dentist is unavailable you need to find an emergency dentist.

While you waiting for your dental appointment there are several things that you ought to do to deal with your pain, such as:

apply clove oil to the area
take over-the-counter pain killers
apply ice to the area

These options will only be sufficient to “get you through the night” until you can visit a dentist to get you out of pain and repair your chipped tooth.

For emergency dentistry in the Charlotte area give us a call. We are open when most dentist are closed.