Emergency Dentistry

Emergency Dentistry in North Highlands,CA Accidents and emergencies can happen at any time, and oral injuries occur more often than you might expect. In the event of an emergency, it’s helpful to know whether you require emergency dental care or not to avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency room but still care for the health of your and your family’s teeth. Some injuries require immediate treatment, which we can provide at Watt Antelope Family Dentist in North Highlands, while others can wait.

Common mouth injuries

Teeth can become cracked or broken as the result of biting down on an item of food that is too hard or a fall. Injuries can also be sports-related, resulting in knocked out teeth or damage to a tooth or dental appliance. Depending on the severity, certain injuries (such as a chipped tooth) can wait until regular office hours at Watt Antelope Family Dentist to receive treatment. Others, such as a severe crack in the tooth, or a tooth that has been knocked out completely, will require immediate medical attention. There are certain steps you can take to help preserve the health of the teeth and gums until you are able to see a professional.

Knocked out tooth

Handle a knocked-out tooth as little as possible. You can rinse it off gently with water only; do not use soap and do not touch the tooth by the roots. Try to put it back into its socket and keep it there by biting down on a moistened piece of gauze (a wet tea bag can also help). If this is not possible, the tooth can be kept in a container of milk or saliva until your dentist can treat you.

Other tooth issues

Other issues that require treatment as soon as possible include severe tooth pain (such as from an abscessed tooth), a severe crack in the tooth, or if a large piece of tooth missing. Injuries such as a small chip or minor tooth pain can wait until regular office hours.

Call us at Watt Antelope Family Dentist to see if we can fit you in for an appointment; we usually have slots available for emergency cases. Otherwise, we may be able to refer you to a trusted colleague in North Highlands who can provide the treatment you need.