Emergency Dentist

Common needs for an emergency dentist

What are the most common reasons for an emergency dentist?

Sometimes determining whether or not you’re actually experiencing a dental emergency can be tricky. No dental pain is “normal,” and some things are more obviously an emergency than others. When in doubt, Dr. Slootsky at Artistic Dentistry in Reading should be your first call.

Signs you’re experiencing a dental emergency

• Numbness
• Painful swelling
• Excessive bleeding
• Infection or abscess
• Severe dental trauma
• Severe or persistent pain
• Sudden tooth loss in adults

Dental infection or abscess

A dental infection tops the list as one of the dental emergencies you need to be seen for immediately. If you have an abscessed tooth, see our Reading emergency dentist as soon as possible, as postponing treatment could cause the infection to spread. You may need root canal treatment to successfully treat and clean the infected tissue.

If the abscess ruptures, you will experience a foul-smelling and foul-tasting pus from the area. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water if this happens and call our office immediately.

Severe toothache or dental pain

If you are experiencing a toothache or any severe pain in your mouth, visit us as soon as possible. Dr. Slootsky will quickly and effectively examine you to ensure that the cause of your severe pain is treated.

Use over-the-counter pain medicine like acetaminophen or Advil to ease the pain until you can see us. Artistic Dentistry is committed to providing the high-quality dentistry that you deserve. Tooth pain is never normal, and we will always work to make sure you get the relief you deserve when you need it most.

Knocked out or loose tooth

If you have lost a tooth or if it has been knocked out, please see our emergency dentist as soon as possible.

What to do:

• Rinse your mouth with salt water to clean it and try to stop the bleeding
• If you still have the tooth, clean it carefully to remove any debris and make sure that the tissue remains in-tact
• If possible, you can put your clean tooth back in its socket. DO NOT put a dirty tooth back into your mouth
• Put the tooth in a glass of milk, and bring it with you if you cannot safely put it back in its socket

Chipped or broken tooth

If you have a chipped or broken tooth, call your Reading emergency dentist at Artistic Dentistry immediately. Although it not every instance of a chipped or broken tooth is a true dental emergency, we never want you to be in pain. Always call our practice to schedule the soonest possible appointment. Rinse your mouth with salt water to clean the area and try to stop the bleeding by applying pressure.

Keep dental emergencies out of the ER

You don’t need to go to the emergency room for a dental emergency. In fact, unless you are also experiencing a medical emergency, excessive bleeding, or severe trauma to your jaw or facial structures, you shouldn’t go to the ER for your dental emergency. Most emergency rooms aren’t equipped to treat a dental emergency—doctors are not an emergency dentist. Before visiting the ER for a dental emergency, call our office to be seen right away.

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to call us or schedule a same-day appointment online! We’re here for you when you need us most.