Quick Emergency Dental Care in Utah

Dental emergencies happen without warning. When dental trauma, a toothache, or an infection occurs, it can cause a lot of pain and stress. While it would be ideal if dental issues only happened when you already had an appointment, this isn’t always the case!

At Smart Dental Care, we believe professional intervention is important for addressing critical dental emergencies. We know that dental emergencies can happen at any time, so we offer emergency dental services to relieve pain and preserve your dental health.

Drs. Ashton and Nguyen ensure prompt service and great care so you can find relief and healing as soon as possible. Have a dental emergency and need assistance? Give us a call! Don’t wait to contact the qualified staff at Smart Dental Care in Holladay, Utah! We’ll be here to offer you swift, efficient dental care no matter the cause of your dental crisis.

What Is a Dental Emergency?

In times of dental crisis, a trip to the emergency room is not always the answer. Some accidents and tooth injuries require a competent dental professional to diagnose and treat the problem. However, if you have a broken bone or severe bleeding, receiving emergency medical services is best.

Many patients have questions about what counts as a dental emergency. No two dental emergencies look precisely the same. However, if you or a loved one are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms, you should seek emergency dental care from a dentist:

A severe toothache
A broken or loose crown
Swelling in the gums or soft tissues
Abnormal bleeding
Significant sensitivity to temperature or pressure
Intense pain when chewing or eating
Breaks or cracks in permanent teeth
A lost tooth

If you aren't sure if your situation counts as a dental emergency, give us a call! We can discuss your situation and recommend the next steps, whether that be coming into our office or doing at-home remedies until you make an appointment.

Call for Help with Dental Emergencies!

You want a smart dentist who can provide you with relief and results in a time of stress and pain. Our Holladay Team is committed to helping you perfect your amazing smile. If you are in pain, don’t wait! Get relief with Dr. Ashton and Dr. Nguyen—call our office today.

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Common Reasons for Dental Emergencies

Common Reasons For Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies can happen at any time and anywhere. While there’s not an exhaustive list of what counts as a dental emergency, below are some of the most common urgent dental problems and what you can do to protect your mouth.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Dental trauma can be serious. The most severe of these instances is known as a tooth avulsion—or when a permanent tooth breaks at the root or is knocked out of its socket.

If this happens to you, take the following steps:

Handle the tooth with care, never touching the delicate root area
Gently clean the tooth with milk, saline, or clean water
Let it dry and carefully attempt to place it back in the socket
Ensure the tooth remains moist in the socket, a glass of milk, or your cheek
Seek emergency dental care right away

While we can’t always save your tooth, we do offer restorative dentistry treatments like implants and bridges to repair a missing tooth.

Cracked Teeth

If you bite down too hard on solid material or receive a blow to your mouth, face, or jaw, you might crack or break your teeth. This can be painful and dangerous. Cracked or broken teeth are vulnerable to bacterial infections.

Cracked teeth are not always visible, and not all cracks indicate an emergency. However, some symptoms should prompt you to seek emergency dental care as soon as possible. These include:

Increased sensitivity to temperature
Pain while biting or chewing
Swelling and inflammation
Toothaches or jaw pain
Visible fractures

A cracked tooth may need to be removed or require a dental crown. We will find the right treatment plan for you.

Broken or Chipped Teeth

Though your teeth are made of strong enamel, they may break or chip if you slip, fall, or hit your tooth on something hard. Broken or chipped teeth, however, are not always the result of dental trauma. Even grinding your teeth can cause dental injuries like chipped teeth.

As soon as you notice a chipped or broken tooth, seek repair from an emergency dentist. Be sure to take anti-inflammatory medications, use ice or a cold compress to reduce any swelling, and save any pieces of your tooth by keeping them moist and clean.

Loose or Missing Dental Restorations

Dislodged fillings can be painful since the inner layers of your tooth become exposed and sensitive to external stimuli and bacteria. Be sure to seek prompt emergency dental care if you have issues with a dental restoration.

Previously filled cavities can become loose or fall out completely. To prevent further damage to the exposed tooth, get the cavity refilled as soon as possible.

If you can, keep the loose filling or dental restoration. Your dentist may advise you to use temporary dental wax or putty on your tooth until you can repair the cavity.

Broken/Detached Crowns or Implants

Dental crowns are designed to last for 15 years or more. When the crown is compromised, the tooth below becomes highly susceptible to contamination and irritation. Dental implants can last a lifetime and an issue with a broken dental implant is often painful and serious.

If a crown is damaged or an implant breaks or falls out, call us immediately. We can instruct you on home care steps to take before you make it to our office.

It may be possible to re-bond or reattach the existing crown to your tooth, but in some cases, we may need to make a new crown. If your missing crown has led to an infection, you may need a root canal, an extraction, or a dental implant.

Infections & Dental Emergencies

Along with dental trauma, infections, and severe pain are common dental emergencies. Here’s what you need to know.

1

Toothaches

If your teeth hurt on occasion, you probably don’t need to worry. Feeling a little pain after biting into something too hard, getting something stuck in your teeth, or eating something very cold is normal.

If you have constant throbbing pain, swelling around the tooth, or an abnormal headache though, it’s probably time to visit the dentist.

Possible causes of toothaches include:

Tooth decay
A damaged filling
A fractured tooth
Abscessed tooth (an infection in the center of the tooth)
Infected gums
Eruption or impaction of wisdom teeth

When you visit Smart Dental Care for tooth pain, we will find the cause of the issue and treat your symptoms accordingly.

2

Pulpitis (Root Canal Infection)

Pulpitis is a severe infection where the inner root of your tooth (called the pulp) becomes inflamed. Infections in the pulp can be highly painful and are accompanied by:

Discomfort when eating or chewing
Sensitivity to hot or cold drinks
A foul smell or taste in your mouth
The presence of a fever or swelling in lymph nodes

The proper steps moving forward will depend on how quickly you can receive treatment, the severity of the infection, and the condition of your oral health. Treatment may include a root canal, an extraction, or a filling.

3

Pericoronitis (Gum Pain or Swelling)

Persistent irritation or inflammation in your gums can make it difficult to chew, speak, or enjoy your favorite foods. Pericoronitis, the swelling of gum tissue, occurs when molars or wisdom teeth erupt.

Those who have poor dental hygiene, deal with food or other debris caught in soft tissues, and have other infections are prone to gum infections like gingivitis or periodontitis.

Gum pain and swelling are considered emergencies when accompanied by a fever, intense pain, difficulty chewing or biting, and severe swelling. If it is not an emergency, make sure to schedule a regular appointment with our dentists to see how we can treat your gum irritation.

4

Dental Abscesses

Most often caused by an untreated cavity or dental trauma, a dental abscess is a fluid-filled blister or pustule on the gums surrounding an infected tooth.

A tooth abscess may cause:

Swelling in the jaw, gums, or neck
Fever and tender lymph nodes
Foul-smelling breath
Sensitivity to temperature or pressure
A severe toothache that may throb or radiate

To fight against abscesses, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection, drain the blister to relieve pressure, or treat the affected tooth to remove the infection.

Prompt Dental Care from Our Caring Team

The long-term health of your smile is crucial for other aspects of your health, so we treat dental emergencies with the dedication and care they deserve.

Dental emergencies can impact one or more teeth and any dental appliances you rely on to speak, chew, smile, and maintain strong, healthy teeth. Our team can restore your smile.

Drs. Ashton and Nguyen are both experienced in general and restorative dentistry. We will do all we can to get you on the schedule as quickly as possible.

Cutting-Edge Technology & Knowledgeable Staff

Our practice takes pride in the advanced, state-of-the-art tools and techniques we employ to make your experience as pleasant and efficient as possible.

Call our skilled team based in Holladay, UT, to experience skilled emergency dental care right when you need it the most.

At-Home Treatment Tips

You might need to wait a bit before your dentist appointment, and these home remedies can help decrease the pain while you wait. Toothaches, broken teeth, and infections can be painful, but with these tips, your wait for an appointment doesn’t have to be uncomfortable.p>

Rinse with Warm Salt Water

If you have swollen gums, rinsing with warm salt water can help decrease swelling and provide pain relief. Saltwater is antibacterial, so it can also help with the infection. Plus, swishing it in your mouth can help release anything stuck in your teeth or gums.

To make warm salt water, mix about one teaspoon with about 8 ounces of warm water. Make sure that the water has cooled before you use it; it should be lukewarm.

Place an Ice Cold Compress

Using an ice pack or cold compress on a painful tooth can relieve pain. The cold can help reduce the swelling, distract you from the pain, and numb the area a little.

You can use an ice pack from the store, an instant ice pack from a first aid kit, or just a baggie filled with ice as a cold compress. Place it on your cheek wherever the pain is the worst.

Use Painkillers

Painkillers decrease the amount of swelling and overall pain in an area. Some medications can increase swelling, so be sure to call your dentist and ask which of these over-the-counter medications to take to help with pain.

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): These include Advil, Ibuprofen, and Motrin.
Naproxen: These include the brand Aleve and other similar generic brands containing anti-inflammatory drugs.

Always use common sense and follow the directions when consuming any medication.

Try Analgesic Gel

While painkillers like NSAIDs and Naproxen are often helpful, you can also try an analgesic gel with your home care regimen. This is a special numbing gel designed to decrease dental pain. It can be purchased over the counter.

Oral analgesics are applied directly to the gums to numb the area and relieve pain. Many also have antibacterial properties and get rid of harmful bacteria.

Commonly Asked Emergency Dentistry Questions

Find the answers to some of the most commonly asked emergency dentistry questions. Understanding dental emergencies now can help reduce future stress. Dental emergencies include a wide variety of mishaps, so don’t hesitate to call your dentist for more information.

When Should I Go To the Emergency Room for Dental Problems?

It can be hard to tell whether to schedule a dental appointment or just head to the emergency room when you’re having a dental emergency. The answer depends on your situation.

Head to the emergency room if you experience any of the following:

High fever
Difficulty breathing
Broken or injured jaw/facial bones
Severe pain
Profuse bleeding

Other, less severe issues can be treated at an emergency dentist’s office.

Can I Pull My Own Tooth?

While you might be tempted to just yank out a tooth that is causing you pain and other problems, you should never attempt to pull your own tooth.

Pulling your own tooth can:

Damage the nerve tissue
Leave you open to infection
Create more pain and swelling
Lead to more complications

Plus, without a dentist’s opinion, you don’t know if the tooth needs to be pulled. No one wants a missing tooth for no reason!

How Can I Sleep Better With a Bad Toothache?

Bad toothaches can affect other areas of your life, especially sleep. This is mainly due to your sleeping position. Laying down can make more blood go to your head, putting undue pressure on sore or swollen areas in your mouth.

To help in this situation, it is best to prop up your head up as much as you can. You can also use cold compresses to reduce the swelling that can be caused while you are asleep.

Do You Offer Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointments?

In dental emergencies, the sooner you receive professional care, the healthier your smile will be in the long run. Smart Dental Care staff reserve time during regular business hours specifically for emergency dental crises.

We do everything in our power to see emergency patients immediately, whether by offering guidance over the phone while you wait for treatment or with hands-on intervention right away.

Do You Accept New Patients?

We usually welcome new patients. To see if we have any openings, call our office. Here at Smart Dental Care, we will do everything possible to treat your dental emergency as soon as possible. You will need to fill out new patient forms before we can treat you, but that shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes.

Once we have your new patient forms, we’ll be able to assess your situation and recommend treatment.

How Much Will Emergency Dental Treatment Cost?

The cost of your emergency dental appointment will depend on the scope of your emergency situation and the types of services required to remedy your smile.

While emergency care is often more expensive than regular dental visits, we strive to provide efficient, comprehensive care with your health and financial circumstances in mind. We accept most major credit card companies and offer a CareCredit payment plan.

Call Smart Dental Care For Emergency Dental Services!

Smart Dental Care will do everything possible to accommodate your needs, relieve your dental pain, and restore your smile. Proper diagnosis and quick action can make all the difference in a dental emergency.

Drs. Nguyen and Ashton are committed to your dental health, including the aesthetics and function of your teeth. The entire team also wants you to feel comfortable and live without painful dental symptoms.

If you have a dental emergency, contact our office today!