Dental Emergencies in Castro Valley, CA

Any sort of emergency scenario can cause panic and fear and a dental emergency is no exception. There are many different things that can constitute a dental emergency, and when they arise without any warning, we can feel unprepared and not know what to do. Fortunately, there are professionals on hand that have the training and experience to help deal with your dental disaster, whatever it may be. We are delighted to be able to offer a fully comprehensive emergency dental service that can eliminate your pain and potentially prevent any long-term or irreversible damage to your teeth and oral health.

When is a dental problem a dental emergency?

How do you know when you should see an emergency dentist? Determining whether you need urgent help or whether to wait until normal office hours can be tricky, particularly as it is hard to be rational when we are in pain. Fortunately, our experienced emergency dental team can thoroughly assess your condition over the phone before you need to come in and will advise you whether you should be seen immediately or if you can and should book a regular appointment. In all instances, they will advise you if there is anything that you can do to help manage the problem until you are seen by a professional. This could be as simple as holding an ice pack to your jaw, or something more complex such as how to preserve a knocked-out tooth.

We see a wide range of dental emergencies, some being more severe than others. Here are a few of the most common that we treat at our Castro Valley dental offices.

A knocked-out tooth

Knocked-out teeth are surprisingly common and contrary to what some people believe, they don’t always occur because we have accidentally face-planted the floor. Teeth can be knocked out in all manner of ways, from fighting or recreation boxing, to car accidents or being hit in the face by a moving object such as a frisbee or ball.

Unsurprisingly, losing a tooth can cause most people to panic. You will almost certainly experience bleeding from the mouth due to the tooth and root being wrenched out. It may seem a lot, but it often looks worse than it really is due to the blood mixing with your saliva.

Although there is no guarantee, we may be able to replace your lost tooth if it is in one piece and handled properly. Don’t touch the root and pop it into a clean container filled with water or milk so that it doesn’t dry out. Use a clean towel or similar to stem the blood flow until you speak to our team.

A broken tooth

Whether it is just a chip or a significant break, if part of your tooth has come off you will need emergency dental care. Save any broken pieces and preserve these in the same way as you would a knocked-out tooth when you bring them into our offices. If you can’t find the broken bits, don’t panic. We will assess the damage and advise you of any urgent treatment that you may need, as well as discussing what will be done when it comes to a more permanent solution.

Lost/broken crowns or fillings

Fillings and crowns are two of the most common type of dental restoration, but they are also very often the types of restoration that need maintenance or replacement. This is because, over time, they can become damaged and, in some instances, work their way loose. When these types of restorations become compromised, it nearly always leads to toothache since the inner, sensitive parts of the tooth become exposed to air, food, and drink.

Crowns may be able to be repaired or replaced with a temporary version which you will wear until your bespoke, permanent new crown is made. Most cavities can be filled, and the treatment completed there and then.

Severe dental pain

Toothache is something that most people will experience during their lifetime. However, if you experience dental pain that isn’t being alleviated using medications, you feel that you can’t eat or drink anything, and the discomfort is severe enough to keep you awake at night, you may need intervention from an emergency dental team. Whilst it is essential that we find and treat the cause, the very first thing that we will do is to get your pain under control.

If you would like more information about our emergency dental services, or if you are suffering from what you think might be an emergency situation and would like the help and support of an experienced and reassuring team, please contact our offices in Castro Valley, CA by calling (510) 674-0900 today.