What is a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is any type of pain or injury caused by physical trauma. This can include an infected tooth, severe tooth pain, or bleeding, along with any accident involving your teeth, lips, gums, cheek, or jaw.
For emergencies that can’t wait, Oakland Family Dental offers emergency dental care to prevent further damage to healthy surrounding teeth. We can give you a crown, extract the impacted tooth, or perform other necessary procedures in a same-day appointment, ensuring you receive the immediate attention you need.
How to Treat a Dental Emergency
If you don’t require urgent care, Dr. Sheehan has put together an easy, patient-friendly guide on how to address common problems and instructions on what to do.
Fractured Tooth
If you’ve chipped, cracked, or broken a tooth, contact our Waterford office as soon as possible to prevent additional damage and infection. Rinse your mouth to keep the area clean with lukewarm water until you’re able to come in. We’ll assess the damage and determine how to restore your tooth back to optimal health.
Toothache or Jaw Pain
If you’re experiencing severe pain, it could be an indication of a more serious problem than a minor toothache or jaw discomfort. We recommend taking an over-the-counter medication and applying a cold compress to reduce any swelling or pain. If the pain continues, call our office so we can solve the problem and relieve your pain.
Knocked Out Tooth
Having a tooth knocked out is a frequent dental injury that calls for immediate dental care. If possible, find the tooth and gently clean it to remove any dirt or debris. Put the tooth in a container with milk or your own saliva to preserve the tooth. We’ll try to save and reattach it, depending on the severity of the damage.
Lip or Mouth Injury
If you’ve cut part of your mouth or lip, apply firm pressure with a gauze or clean cloth to stop the bleeding. We suggest using a cold compress to help relieve pain and minimize any swelling of the affected area. If the bleeding continues after 15 minutes, call us for immediate care and we’ll examine the area.
Contact Dr. Sheehan for Emergency Dental Care
If you’re in need of immediate dental care, Oakland Family Dental is here to help. Don’t hesitate to contact our Waterford office at (248) 674-0384 for emergencies that can’t wait. If your pain is manageable, follow our instructions to complete an online contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.