We are pleased to offer same-day emergency dental care in Fontana, CA.
Dental emergencies derail your plans and can make for a challenging day. In addition, some dental emergencies can put your oral health at risk. We understand that emergencies can be frightening, but you can rest easy knowing the team at Winning Smiles is dedicated to easing your pain and restoring your oral health.
Let’s examine dental emergencies and when you should seek treatment or consultation with your Emergency Dentist in Fontana.
Defining Dental Emergencies
Some dental emergencies are apparent—an injury to the tooth or soft tissues, a toothache, or jaw swelling. Other times, you may question whether to call the dentist or wait it out.
We recommend contacting our dental office whenever you’re unsure. You can discuss your symptoms with a knowledgeable team member to determine whether you should come in immediately. But, of course, if you are in pain, we want to see you right away!
In most cases, the following oral health issues can wait until the next available appointment:
- A small tooth chip
- A loose restoration
- A loose prosthetic
However, you should still contact our dental team to discuss your situation. A team member can provide tips to prevent further complications leading up to your dental visit. And in some cases, we may decide you should come in. Of course, if any of the above issues are causing pain, it is an emergency.
Dental emergencies that should not wait include:
- Toothache
- Jaw swelling
- Face swelling
- Oral injury
- Knocked-out tooth or lost restoration
Treating Symptoms and Issues Until You See the Dentist
We provide same-day dental emergency care for our patients, but there are steps you can take while waiting to see the dentist.
If you have a toothache with swelling, you can apply an ice pack periodically to reduce pain and swelling. Additionally, if you’re medically able, you can use ibuprofen to ease discomfort.
Sometimes, your dentist can reset a knocked-out tooth if handled carefully, and you see us promptly. Avoid touching the roots, and keep the tooth in a container of saliva or milk until it’s time to see the dentist. For broken or lost restorations, keep the tooth clean and chew on the other side.
A team member can provide more specific guidelines based on your situation.
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
The protocol for treating emergencies varies by situation. But we aim to alleviate your discomfort and restore your oral health as soon as possible.
If you’ve lost a tooth, we will try to save it, but if it can’t be reset into the gum, we will talk to you about eventual tooth replacement, including a dental implant. It’s always essential to replace missing teeth to prevent oral health issues like tooth migration, even if the tooth is located outside the smile line.
If you have a toothache with swelling, you likely have a root canal infection. To treat this, your dentist anesthetizes the area around the tooth, extracts the infection, and seals it with a temporary filling material. Then, we typically crown the tooth at a future appointment.
Of course, your emergency dentist in Fontana, CA, will talk to you about all treatment options that can address your dental emergency. We like to ensure you make informed decisions about your dental care and never feel pressured.
Lowering Your Risks for Dental Emergencies
Oral infections are the most common dental emergency, so we urge our patients to visit our office every six months for checkups and teeth cleanings. This allows your dentist to uncover emerging oral health issues before they cause pain or need an emergency dental visit. And your teeth cleaning removes the ingredients that lead to decay and infection.
Between six-month checkups, we strongly encourage our patients to brush and floss at least twice daily—after every meal is even better. And you never want to go to bed at night with food debris on the teeth. Doing so causes acids to erode enamel, quickly leading to tooth decay and putting you at risk for gum disease and cavities.
You should talk to your dentist if you have bruxism—teeth grinding and clenching. Untreated bruxism wears down teeth, promoting decay, fractures, infections, and tooth loss.
Also, you should wear a mouthguard during sporting activities like baseball, softball, and the like.
Finally, contact our dental office if you notice oral health changes between dental checkups and teeth cleanings. Issues like tooth sensitivity, bad breath, or worsening sores are signs you should see the dentist for an oral health assessment.
Same-Day Emergency Dental Care Near Me
If you have a dental emergency, seeing the dentist as soon as possible is vital. Attempting to wait it out and treat pain with medication will not eliminate the problem, and it can even worsen.
To get started, reach out to a member of our compassionate dental team as soon as possible.
