While you would expect proper oral hygiene to keep you free of dental emergencies, the truth is that there’s always a risk. A dental emergency can happen at any time of the day or night, no matter how well you care for your teeth.

Delight Dental Smiles has two locations: Coral Springs and Hollywood to address these issues and put a smile back on your face. Here’s what you need to know about emergency dentist services.

Understand Dental Emergencies

A dental emergency is an oral problem that requires immediate attention. In most cases, these issues are characterized by uncontrollable, excessive pain, bleeding, swelling, and/or broken facial bones.

Common causes of Dental emergencies

Some of the most common dental emergencies include the following:

  • Severe toothache (1)
  • Broken/cracked tooth (2)
  • Knocked-out tooth
  • Abscess (3)
  • Extruded tooth (loose)
  • Lost/broken restoration
  • Severe soft tissue injury

Risks of Neglecting dental emergencies

When you have a dental emergency, it’s essential to seek immediate treatment. If you neglect an emergency, you could experience the following:

Severe pain/discomfort

A dental emergency can be extremely painful and uncomfortable and, when you ignore pain, the most obvious consequence is more pain. No matter what emergency has triggered the pain, it’s important to have it addressed as quickly as possible. If not, your situation will only escalate.

Tooth loss

When a tooth is knocked out, you should get to the dentist within 30 minutes- with the tooth- for the best chances of saving it. In many cases, the tooth can be reinserted and splinted. If you delay, you may not be able to save the natural tooth and will need to consider tooth replacement options.

If a tooth is damaged, but not knocked out, delaying treatment can increase your risk of additional damage. When a tooth is damaged, the risk of bacteria entering the tooth increases, which could result in tooth loss.

Infection/abscess

When a tooth is damaged, bacteria can enter into the dentin and possibly the dental pulp, depending on the severity of the damage. If you delay treatment, the infection may worsen, which means you may need root canal treatment to save the tooth. In some cases, the infection may progress to the point that the tooth cannot be saved.

In some cases, the infection may cause an abscess to develop along the gumline near the affected tooth. This is a pus-filled pocket that is often accompanied by severe pain and swelling, as well as fever and bad breath.

Gum disease

When left untreated, a dental infection can get into the gum tissues. This can cause redness, inflammation, bleeding, and pain. Gum disease can ultimately lead to complications including gum recession, jawbone deterioration, and tooth loss.

Chronic health issues

When neglected, dental issues can lead to chronic health issues. Dental infections can spread to other areas of the body including the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and the brain. This increases your risk of diabetes, pneumonia, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, stroke, and death.

Why Choose Us for Dental Emergencies Services In Coral Springs and Hollywood

The team at Delight Dental Smiles in Coral Springs and Hollywood offers the latest in dental technology to improve the comfort and effectiveness of your treatment. We can address your emergency and resolve it promptly.

Immediate Steps To Take During A Dental Emergency

The steps needed during a dental emergency depend on the type of emergency. If you have a knocked-out tooth:

  • Find the tooth and carefully pick it up by the crown- do not touch the roots
  • If possible, insert it back into the socket- if not, place it in the mouth between the cheek and gums or a small container of milk.
  • Call the dentist when you are on the way so that they can prepare for you- if possible, you should get there within 30 minutes

If you have any other type of dental emergency:  

  • Contact the dentist and explain the situation
  • Follow their instructions for coping with the issue until you can get in to see the dentist

Our Emergency Dental Services

Delight Dental Smiles in Coral Springs and Hollywood offers a variety of emergency dentist services, including:

Tips for Preventing Dental Emergency

The best way to prevent a dental emergency is with proper oral care habits. This includes:

  • Brushing at least twice daily
  • Flossing at least once daily, preferably with a water flosser
  • Using an antibacterial, alcohol-free mouthwash
  • Visiting the dentist every 6 months for an exam and cleaning

Do You Need Emergency Dentist Services?

If you need emergency dentist services, contact Delight Dental Smiles and schedule your visit. Our dentists have been trained in a variety of dental services including emergency tooth extraction and emergency wisdom tooth removal, gum disease treatment, root canal therapy, and so much more.

We have two locations:

  • Coral Springs on Wiles Road
  • Hollywood on Sheridan Street

We can eliminate your discomfort and put a smile back on your face.

FAQs on Dental Emergency Services

If you have any questions or concerns about emergency dentist services in Coral Springs or Hollywood, we can help. The team at Delight Dental Smiles has the experience and expertise to address any of your oral health concerns. Below are some of the questions we get most often about dental emergencies:

How much tooth pain is an emergency?

When tooth pain is unbearable and cannot be controlled with OTC pain relievers, it is considered an emergency. However, the specific amount of pain varies from one person to another. Some patients can handle more pain than others. If at any time the pain is accompanied by swelling and significant bleeding, as well as fever and other symptoms, it is an emergency.

How many hours can tooth pain last?

Tooth pain can last as long as the cause is left untreated. The pain may be dull or acute and it may be consistent or may come and go. The best way to eliminate the pain is to address the cause of the pain.

What is the most common dental emergency?

The most common dental emergency is oral injury. Tooth injuries are caused by a variety of things including sports accidents, vehicle accidents, biting down on something hard, using teeth as tools, and more.

What to do about tooth pain when the dentist is closed?

There are some things you can do at home to deal with tooth pain while you wait for the dentist to open:

  • Take an OTC pain reliever
  • Use ice packs
  • Rinse with a hydrogen peroxide or saltwater solution
  • Use a peppermint teabag
  • Apply vanilla extract to the affected tooth
  • Apply clove oil diluted with carrier oil to the affected tooth
  • Rest

These can help make the pain more tolerable while you are waiting to get an emergency appointment.