Emergency Dentistry – Tullahoma, TN

Toothaches

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency?

Tooth pain of any kind should not be ignored. However, if you feel a sharp pain when biting down, there is a small bump on your gums near the tooth, or the discomfort has lasted more than 24 hours, you should schedule a same-day visit with our Tullahoma emergency dentist.

How You Should Handle a Toothache

First, try flossing around the tooth. This can loosen debris that may be the source of the discomfort. If that doesn’t help, contact our team so we can learn more about your situation and schedule a time for you to come in for treatment. Until then, you can rinse with a mixture of salt and warm water to prevent infection, provide numbness, and alleviate swelling. If needed, you can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever.

How We Treat Toothaches

Although toothaches are often a symptom of tooth decay, it could be stemming from another untreated oral health concern, like gum disease. That’s why we still begin your visit with an exam! Once we’ve pinpointed the root of the issue, we will review your treatment options – from tooth-colored fillings and gum disease therapy to dental crowns – so we can get your oral health back on track as soon as possible.

Chipped Teeth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency?

If necessary, you can wait a day or two. However, you shouldn’t wait any longer than that since a chipped tooth is vulnerable to further damage and, in some cases, infection.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth

Priority number one is to collect any pieces of your tooth and store them in a clean container so you can bring them to your appointment. You should also gently rinse with clean water to remove any lingering shards that you would’ve otherwise swallowed. Leading up to your visit, don’t chew anything on that side of your mouth and do your best to stick to soft foods. If you have dental wax or sugar-free gum on hand, you can also use that to cover the sharp edge of your tooth.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth 

For most chips, we can use a lifelike shade of composite resin to rebuild the missing structure of your tooth. If the chip is more substantial or is on a highly visible tooth, then we may recommend a veneer instead. Either way, the goal is to restore the look and function of your tooth entirely!

Cracked Tooth

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency?

Small cracks might not seem like a reason to schedule an emergency visit with your dentist, but they leave your tooth vulnerable to infection and further damage. So, the best course of action is to get in touch with us right away. Note: cracks aren’t always visible, which is why it’s important to take note of dental pain or sensitivity following a sports injury, car accident, or something similar.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth

First, rinse your mouth with clean water periodically throughout the day. You can also take an over-the-counter pain-reliever and use a cold compress as needed to alleviate swelling and reduce discomfort. Of course, you should also do your best to avoid chewing on that side of your mouth to prevent the crack from getting larger.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth

How we treat your cracked tooth largely depends on how severe the damage is. If it’s relatively minor, then it’s possible that the same material we use for tooth-colored fillings will work. If the damage is more moderate, then we may recommend protecting the tooth with a custom-made dental crown. The absolute last resort would be extracting the tooth, but this is only necessary in cases where the crack is severe. In that case, we will need to discuss your tooth-replacement options as well, such as dental bridges or implants.

Very Sensitive Teeth  

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? Very sensitive teeth can result in an uncomfortable sensation even when you aren’t indulging in a cold beverage or hot meal. Although this typically doesn’t require immediate care, there are some exceptions. For example, if the pain is stemming from one tooth or you think gum disease may be the root of the problem, then call our Tullahoma dental team right away.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth Naturally, one of your top priorities may be alleviating your discomfort. In addition to avoiding hot beverages, cold foods, and the like, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever. You can also switch to oral hygiene products that are made specifically for patients with sensitive teeth, like desensitizing toothpaste.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth The treatment we recommend will depend on the source of the sensitivity. If the X-rays we take and the oral exam we conduct find that a cavity is to blame, then a tooth-colored filling or dental crown may be the best solution. If the root of the problem is actually an issue with your gums, like gingivitis, then we will intervene with gum disease therapy.

Knocked-Out Tooth  

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? A knocked-out tooth isn’t just a dental emergency; it’s a dental emergency where you need to act fast. In order to save your tooth, our Tullahoma emergency dentist, Dr. Petty, needs to see you within 60 minutes of the incident. So, call us right away!

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth Although it’s easier said than done, do your best to stay calm. After taking a few deep breaths, do your best to locate the tooth. If you find it, carefully pick it up by the crown (the chewing surface). If the tooth is clean and slides back into its pocket without any force, then keep it there to preserve the root. Otherwise, you can place it in a glass of milk or saliva.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth When you arrive at our office, we will get you comfortably settled into the treatment chair, alleviate any discomfort you’re experiencing, and try to save your tooth. If that’s no longer feasible, then we will move onto the next step: replacing the tooth with a dental bridge or implant.

Lost Filling or Crown  

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Even if you aren’t experiencing any immediate discomfort, a lost filling or crown is considered a dental emergency. The missing restoration leaves your tooth vulnerable to infection as well as further damage, so get in touch with our team to schedule an appointment as soon as you can.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown For a lost dental crown, do your best to locate it. If you find it, place it in a small container or bag for safekeeping, and bring it with you to your appointment. In cases of both a lost dental crown and a lost filling, don’t chew on that side of your mouth and rinse with water periodically to prevent bacteria from collecting in the area.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns Fortunately, tooth-colored fillings can be placed in just one appointment, and the process is often so painless that a local anesthetic isn’t needed. As for lost dental crowns, we have two options: recement the restoration in place or have a replacement made. The route we recommend will depend on a few factors, like if your dental crown was damaged during your dental emergency.

Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Broken dentures do warrant an immediate call to our Tullahoma dental office. That way, we can repair or replace your dentures ASAP, restoring your confidence, bite, and speech in the process.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture Handling a broken denture starts with calling our office to schedule an appointment. Next, gather your broken dentures into a clean container for safekeeping.

How We Treat Broken Dentures As we mentioned above, we can repair or replace your dentures. However, there is also another option: upgrading your traditional dentures with dental implants. This will provide you with added stability. Plus, implant dentures can last for decades with proper care!

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Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, it is! Not only does a loose tooth negatively impact your ability to eat properly, but it can be quite painful, and the tooth can fall out entirely.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth Step one: call our team. The sooner you call, the sooner we can treat your tooth. Furthermore, we can provide you with step-by-step instructions on what to do until you arrive at our office, like rinsing your mouth gently with water, not chewing with that tooth, and taking OTC pain medication.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth In some cases, a dental splint can be used to provide support and save your tooth. In other cases, the tooth needs to be extracted and replaced with a dental bridge or dental implant.

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Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Although you should act quickly, cuts to your gums, lips, and tongue don’t typically require care from our team. You should, however, head to the ER if you’ve been applying pressure to the wound for 10 minutes but it’s still bleeding.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue The first two steps are rinsing the cut with water and applying pressure with a damp washcloth. At this point, what comes next depends. If the bleeding has stopped, then use a cold compress to address any lingering swelling. If the bleeding continues, then head to the ER.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue Typically, soft tissue injuries don’t require treatment from our Tullahoma emergency dentist. Of course, you’re still welcome to give us a call if you’re unsure what to do in this situation!

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? If you’ve been struggling with jaw pain for more than 24 hours, then it absolutely warrants a call to our office. Note: if you have reason to believe that your jaw is broken or dislocated, then seek medical attention at the ER.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain In addition to scheduling an appointment with us, we recommend icing your jaw with a cold compress, not eating anything particularly crunchy, and taking an OTC pain reliever as directed.

How We Treat Jaw Pain First, we need to pinpoint if your jaw pain is the result of an impacted wisdom tooth, TMJ dysfunction, chronic teeth grinding, or something else. Then, we can determine what the best course of action is.

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Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Having something stuck between your teeth isn’t just a problem because it’s annoying; it can also increase your chances of developing tooth decay. So, act quickly by rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater and flossing between your teeth. If this doesn’t work, then call our office to schedule an appointment.