What to Do in a Dental Emergency
If you are experiencing a dental emergency, we can get you out of pain fast.
Here’s what you should do to get the care you need right away
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Call us for a same-day appointment: Whether you’re
an existing or new patient, we’ll do everything we can to see you
for emergency treatment on the same day that you call us. We’ll also
provide first-aid instructions for handling your situation until you
arrive.
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Get an emergency exam: When you arrive, your Falls Church
emergency dentist will see you right away for an emergency exam and take
any necessary X-rays to better determine the source and extent of your
emergency.
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Review the findings and make a 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 custom treatment plan that
works for your needs and budget.
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Get the care you need right away: Once you’re fully
aware of the details of your chosen treatment, such as its length and
cost, we’ll get to work repairing your smile. We’ll focus on
preserving your teeth and helping you regain a healthy, pain-free smile.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Are you unsure if your situation qualifies as a dental emergency? We
encourage you to give us a call anyways! We can help you assess your
symptoms over the phone, determine how urgently you need to be seen, and
provide personalized instructions on how to manage your emergency. Our
highly experienced team is well-equipped to handle any oral health crisis
you may be facing, including any of the following common dental emergencies.
An Experienced Dentist Who Truly Cares
Dr. Kiani’s history in the dental field spans over a decade now, and
she is always in pursuit of new training and education in order to elevate
her skills to even higher levels. She addresses dental emergencies from
several angles, ensuring that the improvements she creates for patients
are not only healthy, but cosmetically pleasing, long-lasting, and
beneficial to the entire body as well. While it is not possible to turn
back the clock on these kinds of painful events, her comprehensive
approach is the next best option.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Just because dental emergencies are often unpredictable doesn’t mean they can’t be avoided. In fact, establishing a few small, daily habits goes a long way toward keeping your smile safe from harm. At Purple Plum Dentistry, we’re happy to give you personalized tips when you visit us for your routine checkups, but in the meantime, here are five easy things you can do to prevent dental emergencies in Falls Church.
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Visit Our Dental Office Regularly
We recommend coming in for your six-month checkups and cleanings not just because we like to see you, but also because these appointments are crucial in stopping dental emergencies in their early stages. That’s because our dentists can detect the smallest cavities or tooth chips long before you would have noticed them on your own. By treating these issues right when we spot them, we prevent them from worsening and contributing to a seriously painful emergency.
Brush and Floss Every Day
Recent studies suggest that the vast majority of toothaches that require urgent dental care is actually the result of tooth decay that could have been avoided. Between your biannual checkups and cleanings, one of the easiest things you can do to keep your grin healthy and pain-free is to maintain a good oral hygiene routine. Take two minutes every morning and every night to brush your teeth, and floss between your teeth at least once a day. Together, these habits will minimize plaque buildup on your teeth and gums that could otherwise send you straight to our emergency dental office in Falls Church.
Stick to a Nutritious Diet
Chances are slim that you don’t already know the dangers of overindulging in sugary foods and beverages. However, eating the wrong foods can do more than cause cavities and toothaches. Being careless with extremely hard or sticky foods could crack or chip a tooth or even dislodge crowns and other restorations. Instead, make sure your diet contains plenty of calcium, vitamin C, and protein, all of which promote healthy teeth and gums.
Wear a Mouthguard
If you’re an athlete, you know that wearing the right protective gear is essential. Just like you wouldn’t play without a helmet or kneepads, you should never step onto the field or court without wearing a mouthguard to shield your teeth in the event of an injury.
Furthermore, you should wear a nightguard if you grind your teeth when you sleep. Over time, chronic teeth grinding can wear down the enamel of your teeth, leaving them more prone to decay and breakage. We can give you a custom nightguard that creates comfortable cushioning between your upper and lower teeth, preventing wear and tear.
Don’t Use Your Teeth to Open Packaging
Your teeth might seem like the perfect tool; they’re durable and with you at all times. However, your teeth were actually not meant to withstand any forces other than chewing food. It can be tempting to use your teeth to open a long-awaited package, crack nuts, or carry that last bag of groceries, but it could easily damage your teeth and gums. Preserve your smile by taking a few moments to grab the right tool for the task at hand.
Understanding the Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
The price of emergency dental care will ultimately depend on what type of
dental emergency you’re facing. After all, treating a toothache with a
filling will have a different cost than replacing a missing tooth! Once you
come in for your emergency appointment, we’ll be able to evaluate you
and provide a personalized estimate of how much you can expect to pay. You
will always know the cost of a treatment before we begin it! In the end,
emergency dental care, especially when sought right away, is typically much
less expensive than a medical emergency. Read on for more important
information about the cost of dental emergencies in Falls Church.
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Every Dental Emergency Is Different
There isn’t a set fee for emergency dental services because each
situation needs to be handled differently. Even if two people came in
seeking treatment for a toothache, they could end up with very different
costs depending on what’s causing their discomfort. We know you
may be hesitant to seek care if you’re concerned about costs, but
remember, getting your toothache or other emergency looked at right away
can make all the difference between needing an inexpensive filling and
needing a more costly root canal.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
The majority of dental insurance companies offer at least some coverage
for emergency dental care. You may have one emergency exam a year
covered, or your deductible may be waved in an accident. Plus, dental
insurance will typically cover anywhere from 50-80% of the cost of
common treatments used in dental emergencies, such as dental crowns and
tooth extractions. If you’re unsure about the details of your
coverage, we’ll be happy to review your insurance policy to
maximize your benefits and minimize your out-of-pocket costs.
It’s also important to note that most dental insurance policies
cover preventive care at 90-100%, including routine checkups and
cleanings. These regular visits are essential for keeping issues at bay
and spotting problems before they have a chance to become emergencies.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
There are plenty of other ways to make emergency dental care affordable
outside of dental insurance as well. For example, you have options like:
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Purple Plum Dentistry’s In-House Membership Plan: If you don’t have dental insurance, we are happy to offer
something that works similarly but without all the confusing
restrictions. For one flat lifetime activation fee and a small monthly
fee following, you can enjoy a variety of preventive services as well
as one dedicated emergency exam.
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Flexible Dental Financing: We’re also proud to
accept financing through CareCredit. For qualifying patients,
CareCredit offers low- to no-interest payment plans that allow you to
get the care you need right away, which then you can pay back in
installments over the coming months.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
Some dental emergencies are the result of unavoidable accidents or
injuries. However, statistics suggest that the majority of causes for
urgent dental care can easily be prevented. Choosing to invest in simple
and inexpensive things like a great oral hygiene routine, healthy eating
and chewing habits, and biannual dental checkups can potentially save
you thousands in future emergency care.
Dental Emergency FAQs
When you’re dealing with a dental emergency, you should have someone
you can call to get it taken care of. However, what if you’ve never
experienced a dental emergency before? You likely have questions not just
about what to do, but whether or not what you’re seeing is a dental
emergency at all. At Purple Plum Dentistry, we want to help you take away
the guesswork. A great place to start is our FAQ, but you’re always
welcome to call us directly if your question is not mentioned!
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Will my toothache go away on its own?
More often than not, toothaches do not go away on their own because they
are not able to heal themselves like other areas of the body. For that
reason, we encourage you to give us a call to schedule a checkup, even
if you aren’t sure if it’s urgent. There are many causes for
toothaches, and you won’t be able to know what’s going on
until our dentist takes a look at the problem. By getting it done sooner
rather than later, you reduce the risk of the issue becoming worse.
Should I visit the emergency room first for dental emergencies?
In most cases, emergency rooms are not equipped to handle or treat
dental emergencies when they appear. As a result, they end up being
given painkillers or antibiotics, then told to go to the dentist to get
an exam. However, there are a few instances where an ER visit is
actually the better option. For example, if you believe your jaw is
broken or dislocated, there are serious cuts on your face, or you have
an infection that’s affecting your ability to breathe, you should
go to the hospital. In nearly all other cases, visiting us will provide
a better outcome.
What does throbbing tooth pain mean?
When a tooth or the mouth in general is throbbing, it usually means an
infection (or some sort of inflammation) is present. Another potential
cause is air traveling inside the tooth through a cavity as well as
bacteria being able to reach the inner area where the pulp is located.
After this bacteria reaches the inside of the tooth, that’s how
the infection develops. Decay can also lead to throbbing teeth. If you
have a history of teeth grinding and clenching, you may also notice
throbbing or sensitivity.
My chipped tooth doesn’t hurt. Do I still need to visit?
When a tooth is chipped, you should always schedule a visit with our
office. Even when pain is not present, it’s entirely possible for
the tooth to continue fracturing. This leaves the sensitive pulp portion
exposed, making the tooth highly susceptible to infection. You also
won’t know for sure if the tooth is already exposed until you get
to our office. At the very most, you could wait a day or two to visit if
you can’t get to our practice right away.
