Emergency Dental Care

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

We want you to be pain-free as soon as possible. If you have been seeing us for a while or if you are a new patient to our office, call us right away so we can help you take care of your dental emergency! Give us a call if you have a dental emergency in Orange or nearby Tustin. From there, here’s generally what you can expect:

• We’ll schedule your appointment: In most cases, we can see emergency patients the same day they call us. Over the phone, we’ll also give you first aid instructions for handling your situation until you can reach our office.
• Get an emergency exam right away: As soon as you reach our office, your Orange emergency dentist will see you for an examination. We’ll focus on relieving your immediate pain and determining the source and extent of your emergency.
• Make a personalized treatment plan: We’ll review our findings with you and fully explain all your treatment options. Then, we’ll work with you to put together a treatment plan for getting your oral health back on track.
• Get the care you need and get back to smiling: Thanks to our wide range of services and talented team, we’re proud to offer many different emergency treatments from same-day dental crowns to oral surgery. No matter what treatment you need, we will always focus on your comfort and health.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Not all dental emergencies are easy to identify. If you are unsure whether your situation counts as an emergency or if you are experiencing new/worrisome/painful dental symptoms, we encourage you to call us right away. Over the phone, your emergency dentist in Orange, CA will help you determine how urgent your situation is and what you need to do to handle your situation at home. We make room in our schedule to see emergency patients the same day they call. If you have a problem on Friday or Saturday, make sure to call us to see what we can do for you so your weekend isn’t ruined. Below, you’ll find some of the most common dental emergencies we treat.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Since dental emergencies are often stressful, painful, and inconvenient, it’s only natural that you would want to avoid one at all costs. Good news: there are several best practices that can drastically improve your chances of making that happen! From getting a dental checkup and cleaning every six months to maintaining good oral hygiene at home, here are a few ways you can protect your teeth from serious decay, fractures, and other common dental injuries.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

The importance of your biannual checkups and cleanings cannot be understated. The exam alone covers a lot of ground, from screening for oral cancer to checking for signs of gum disease. Of course, your dentist also uses these visits to examine the condition of your teeth and any existing restorations you have. If they notice damage, no matter how small, they can fix it in the early stages, before it becomes a full-blown dental emergency.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home

Between visits, it’s crucial that you take care of your teeth and gums. Fortunately, keeping plaque and tartar to a minimum can be accomplished with a few simple steps. The first is brushing your teeth for a full two minutes each morning and evening. Of course, you should also incorporate other best practices, such as flossing and rinsing with mouthwash daily. Bonus tip: change your toothbrush every three months (or sooner if the bristles have started to fray!).

Stick to a Nutritious Diet

While caramel apples, peanut brittle, and chocolate-covered popcorn are all delicious, they are far from tooth-friendly. While the sugar can erode the enamel on your teeth, the crunchy consistency can chip or crack them if you aren’t careful. That’s why we encourage our patients to add lots of vitamin-rich foods to their diet, like fresh fruit and cooked vegetables. Since they are packed with nutrients, they can help keep your teeth strong and healthy.

Wear a Mouthguard

If you play basketball, football, baseball, or any other sport, you need to wear a mouthguard during practices and games. It’s the best way to prevent one of your teeth from being knocked out, which is a dental emergency that occurs approximately 5 million times a year. While the ones available at your local sporting goods store are better than nothing, one from our emergency dentist in Orange is a significantly better option since they are custom-made for each patient.

Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth

In short, you should never use your teeth to open a package, bottle cap, or anything similar. After all, your teeth are not indestructible, and all it takes is one attempt for your teeth to give instead of the item. So, always use scissors or a bottle cap opener instead.

Dental Emergency FAQs

Found yourself experiencing a dental emergency in Orange? Don’t worry – Michelsen Dental is ready to help! We believe that being well-informed can help you navigate your urgent situation with ease, which is why we’ve decided to answer some frequently asked questions below. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, feel free to contact our office for personal assistance. Our team is more than happy to address any of your concerns or schedule a same-day emergency appointment if needed.

When Do I Need to Go to The Emergency Room?

While we can handle all manner of dental emergencies right here in our Orange emergency dental office, there are some situations that need to be stabilized at an ER before we fix up your smile. Go to the nearest hospital if you suffer from any of the following life-threatening injuries:

• Excessive bleeding from the mouth, or bleeding that won’t stop after 10 minutes
• A dislocated or broken jaw
• Swelling in your mouth or jaw that’s making it difficult to swallow

Do Chipped Teeth Heal?

According to the American Dental Association, the enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. However, it doesn’t have the ability to heal on its own. If you have a chipped tooth, it won’t grow back no matter how minor or severe the damage is. It’s susceptible to further damage and possible infection, which is why you should seek treatment as soon as you can. Restorative and/or cosmetic dentistry may be able to change the shape and condition of your tooth.

Can I Fix Dentures That Are Broken in Half?

Only a skilled prosthodontist can repair a denture that’s completely broken in half. Depending on the severity of the break, the entire denture may need to be replaced. You should call the dentist you received the denture from and ask about your next steps. While you wait for your appointment, you should use a spare denture in the meantime if you have one. Make sure you get your regular denture fixed or replaced right away to prevent future complications.

What Should I Keep in My Emergency Dentistry Kit?

It’s always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected, which is why you should keep an emergency dentistry kit with you at all times. Make sure it contains the following essentials:

• Small sealable container for teeth or restorations
• Sterile gloves, ideally nitrile
• Gauze pads and dressings
• Cotton balls
• Denture adhesive
• Dental cement
• Anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen
• Dental floss
• An ice pack
• Your emergency dentist’s contact information

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• How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
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