Emergency Dentist Delray Beach

We’ll Be There For Your Smile When You Need Us

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At Delray Beach Smile Design, we’re big on flexibility. In today’s world, the stress of work, parenting, and trying your best to keep up with your oral health can be a struggle. Because of this, we also understand that accidents happen. That’s why we’re happy toer flexible same-day, after-hours, and weekend emergency dental appointments. If you find yourself dealing with the unexpected, give us a call or Book Online so your emergency dentist in Delray Beach can help.

 

Why Choose Delray Beach Smile Design for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Very Flexible Dental Appointment Times
  • Same-Day Emergency Visits
  • Dentalice Open 7 Days a Week

 

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Man with toothache due to dental emergency in Delray Beach
  • Give Us a Call: The first step you should always take if you experience oral pain or out-of-the-ordinary symptoms is to call our team right away. We can provide you with first aid guidance and schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible, including on the weekends or after-hours.
  • Get Examined: We’ll start by capturing any necessary diagnostic images, like X-rays, and Dr. Dadaciu will complete a thorough examination of your teeth and gums. Using the information we’ve gathered, Dr. Dadaciu will diagnose the issue at hand and develop a treatment plan that she’ll walk you through.
  • Undergo Treatment: Once you consent to move forward with treatment, our team will get to work. In some cases, we may be able to do everything you need in one appointment.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Wondering whether your symptoms are signs of a dental emergency in Delray Beach? You can view some of the most common urgent issues that we see below. If you’re still unsure about whether or not your situation requires immediate attention, we highly encourage you to call ourice.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Preventing dental emergencies can save you time, money, and a lot of pain

Dental emergencies can happen at any time, and sometimes it’s not possible to prevent them. But often, there are things you can do to lower your risk of them occurring. Whether it’s through proper oral hygiene, stopping bad habits, or even by watching what you eat, taking excellent care of your teeth and gums can help keep them safe and healthy, mitigating your risk of unexpected damage or pain. Here are a few ways you can reduce your risk of an urgent dental problem occurring.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Visit your dentist regularly to prevent dental emergencies

Visiting Dr. Dadaciu regularly is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of a dental emergency. With regular, biannual dental exams and cleanings, she can closely monitor your oral health and possibly prevent an emergency from occurring. She can also treat any issues that arise before they become urgent, saving you time, money, and potentially a lot of discomfort.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home

Maintaining excellent oral hygiene at home can help prevent dental emergencies

In addition to regular dental care, maintaining your oral hygiene at home is the best way to ensure that your teeth and gums stay healthy and emergency-free. Be sure to brush your teeth twice a day, and floss once daily. Should you notice any changes or sensitivity in your teeth and gums, call Delray Beach Smile Design as soon as possible for an appointment.

Be Careful with Your Diet

Eating a healthy diet can help lower your risk of experiencing a dental emergency

Diets that are high in sugar and carbohydrates can be a haven for cavity-causing bacteria. Thus, eating foods that are high in vitamins and minerals can help lower your risk of tooth decay. Furthermore, eating foods that aren’t excessively crunchy like hard candy and ice can also help maintain the structural integrity of your teeth.

Wear a Mouthguard

Wearing a mouthguard for sports or teeth grinding can help protect teeth from a dental emergency

If you play sports or grind your teeth, speak to Dr. Dadaciu about a custom mouthguard. These orthotic devices help protect your teeth from things like sports injuries and pressure fractures or excessive wear from grinding (bruxism). Best of all, because they are custom fit to your mouth, they are much more comfortable than those over-the-counter boil and bite guards that you may be less likely to wear if they’re too bulky or uncomfortable.

Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging

Never use your teeth as tools to open packaging

Sure, it can be a lot faster to tear that packaging open with your teeth than it might be to locate a pair of scissors, but tooth enamel can become easily damaged if used for “off brand” purposes. Thus, never use your teeth for anything but chewing food. The extra time it takes to locate a proper tool can ultimately save you time, money, and embarrassing tooth damage!

Dental Emergency FAQs

What Does Throbbing Tooth Pain Mean?

Severe throbbing tooth pain is likely a sign of inflammation or infection within the tooth. This may be caused by bacteria breaching the outer layers of the tooth and colonizing the pulp tissue within, but it is also sometimes the result of cracks in the enamel allowing air or germs to enter the tooth’s inner chamber. When the pulp becomes infected, the nerves it contains will send distress signals to the brain, resulting in pain. However, throbbing tooth pain may be a sign of teeth grinding or clenching, which can often be addressed by wearing a nightguard to bed.

Will a Toothache Go Away on Its Own?

If a throbbing toothache is caused by bacterial infection within the tooth, it will probably not go away on its own and may lead to severe consequences for your oral and overall health. For this reason, it’s a great idea to have a painful tooth checked at our office in Delray Beach just to make sure that nothing is wrong. However, your toothache may go away on its own if it is caused by irritation of the tissues supporting the tooth. You may also be able to get rid of tooth pain by using dental floss to remove a stubborn bit of debris from between your teeth.

How Should I Sleep with Tooth Pain?

A toothache may be much harder to ignore at night since there isn’t as much light and noise to draw your attention away from it. Thankfully, you may be able to reduce your tooth pain by applying a cold compress or taking over-the-counter pain medication. You may also find some relief by propping up your head with cushions or pillows when you lie down, as this can help reduce the blood pressure in the afflicted tooth. Clove oil is an ancient home remedy for toothache, so you may want to try applying it to a cotton ball and holding it over the pained tooth to reduce your discomfort.

Can I Pop a Dental Abscess on My Own?

Popping a dental abscess can expose the infected tissue to the air and the oral environment, so it’s imperative that you never attempt to pop one on your own. Instead, contact our office so we can schedule you for an emergency appointment and resolve the infection in a sound and sanitary manner. Neglecting to have a dental abscess treated by a professional may also lead to the infection spreading to other parts of the mouth and body such as the neck, throat, and head.

What If My Toothache Suddenly Disappears?

Although you may feel relieved if your toothache suddenly disappears, you should not be celebrating! In fact, it may be even more urgent that you visit your emergency dentist in Delray Beach.

Often, an infection can cause enormous pain within a tooth. But that only occurs because the nerve inside the tooth is sending powerful pain signals to your brain. The infection has the potential to completely kill the nerve, leading to a total cessation of pain. However, the infection can continue to spread and cause damage to nearby tissues. It could even work its way throughout your body and lead to systemic illness.

Our team can identify why your pain disappeared and provide treatment to prevent disastrous future consequences.

Will Pulling a Bad Tooth Stop the Pain?

Extracting a painful tooth will remove its nerve from your body, so it can no longer send pain signals to your brain. After you heal from the tooth removal procedure, you should be able to enjoy a very comfortable smile.

However, keep in mind that we try to reserve tooth extractions as a last resort treatment. In many cases, root canal therapy and other restorative procedures can be used to end pain and prevent a new gap in your grin.

Should I Visit the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?

The individuals who work in hospital emergency rooms typically do not have the training or equipment to address a dental emergency in Delray Beach. For issues like toothaches, chipped teeth, and abscesses, they will likely tell you there is nothing they can do.

However, there are some dental issues that do merit a visit to the ER. For example, you should go if there is severe bleeding, you believe your jaw is broken or dislocated, or you have a high fever along with a toothache. You should also head to the ER if you have a severe abscess or swelling that is interfering with your ability to breathe.

Should I Worry About a Chipped Tooth If It Doesn’t Hurt?

Even if your chipped tooth does not hurt, you should schedule a visit with our team. Without timely care, the damage to the tooth could easily worsen. It may also have jagged edges that could irritate nearby soft tissues in your mouth.

To prevent additional problems, our team may be able to repair the minor chip with a simple dental bonding procedure.

What Is Causing My Jaw Pain?

Jaw pain can have a number of different causes, including:

  • Teeth grinding and clenching
  • Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)
  • A dental abscess or infected tooth
  • Traumatic jaw injuries

Our team (or an ER team, in the case of a broken or dislocated jaw) can identify the cause of your discomfort and help you get on the path to relief.

More to Explore

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Toothaches

  • Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? If your toothache causes severe discomfort or lasts for more than 24 hours, that’s a definite dental emergency! Other concerning symptoms like fever, swelling, or a painful bump are also worth prompt investigation, so give us a call as soon as possible.
  • How You Should Handle a Toothache: Cold compresses can help reduce inflammation, while over-the-counter pain relievers can alleviate aches. Another trick you can use is to rinse your mouth with salt water to help kill harmful bacteria.
  • How We Treat Toothaches: It will depend on the root cause of your pain. Generally speaking, tooth decay is often treated with a restoration, gum disease with a scaling and root planing, and more severe cases with a root canal or tooth extraction.

Chipped Tooth

  • Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Chips are not usually more severe than other types of dental damage, such as cracks. Still, they can also lead to further breaks or infection, so it’s better to address them sooner than later. Describe the chip to us over the phone, and we’ll help you schedule a good appointment time.
  • How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth: Salvage any large pieces of your tooth that might have fallen out and store them in a safe container. We might be able to reattach it during your appointment. In the meantime, rinse your mouth and take care of any first aid needs.
  • How We Treat Chipped Teeth: Dental bonding is a great way to restore most chips. Since the material is tooth-colored, your pearly white will look good as new! For those wanting more coverage, we also offer dental veneers and Lumineers.

Cracked Tooth

  • Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Cracks risk exposing your sensitive dental layers to harmful bacteria or further damage. They can also be quite uncomfortable. Contact our office, and we’ll address this dental emergency promptly.
  • How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth: A rinse with salt water can also help cracked teeth with bacteria, and a cold compress and pain relievers will help you feel more comfortable. If you have dental wax, you can mold it around the crack to blunt sensitivity.
  • How We Treat Cracked Teeth: Dental crowns are the most common treatment for damaged teeth. However, in some cases we can simply apply dental bonding.

Very Sensitive Teeth

  • Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? Dental sensitivity isn’t uncommon, but if your discomfort persists for more than a few seconds or is severe, it could be a dental emergency. We can help with both mild and severe sensitivity, though, so please let us know when dental sensitivity is bothering you.
  • How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth: We advise avoiding triggering sensations like extreme heat, cold, sweetness, acidity, or spiciness. Over-the-counter pain medication can help with your discomfort.
  • How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth: Desensitizing toothpaste, special mouthwash, or fluoride therapy can often treat normal sensitivity. When the root problem is a condition like tooth decay, gum disease, or infection, however, we might recommend a restoration, gum disease therapy, or root canal.

Knocked-Out Tooth

  • Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? They feel alarming in the moment, and knocked-out teeth are appropriately considered a dental emergency! We can help you with first aid and salvaging steps over-the-phone as well as provide treatment, so don’t hesitate to call.
  • How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth: Find your tooth if possible, gently pick it up by the crown, and give it a very careful rinse with water. Store it in a container with milk or saliva, but don’t touch the dental root, and don’t let it soak in water for prolonged periods.
  • How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth: We might be able to reattach your tooth. The odds of success are greater if you can receive treatment within 30 minutes to an hour, which is why we recommend contacting our office as soon as possible! Otherwise, we’d be happy to provide you with a quality replacement.

Lost Filling or Crown

  • Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Technically, no. You could safely go for a day or two with a lost filling or crown. However, you’ll be at greater risk for developing an infection or damaging your tooth, so it’s still wise to call our office once you realize a restoration is missing.
  • How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown: If you can find your restoration, take it with you to your appointment. We don’t recommend trying to fix or reattach a crown or filling yourself, as many home remedies can do more harm than good.
  • How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns: Depending on the state of your restoration, we’ll either cement it back in place or replace it entirely.

Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Since a broken denture can’t be worn, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact us as soon as you notice a considerable chip, crack, or split. From there, we can determine how urgent the situation is, and, if necessary, schedule an appointment at our Delray Beach dental office the same day.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture In addition to calling us and scheduling an appointment, we recommend doing what you can to protect your restoration from further harm, like placing it in its case instead of wearing it.

How We Treat Broken Dentures Sometimes, we can repair broken dentures at our office. Of course, if yours has split down the middle or broken into several pieces, then we will need to replace it instead.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, a loose permanent tooth is a dental emergency – so call us ASAP. The sooner you do, the sooner we can get an emergency appointment on the calendar and walk you through what to do until then.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth First, avoid all crunchy and sticky foods, and don’t chew on that side of your mouth. It’s also important that you don’t wiggle the tooth with your tongue or finger. Simply rinse gently with clean, room-temperature water to help prevent an infection from developing, and get to our office as soon as you can for the necessary care.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth Dental splints can often be used to help a loose permanent tooth heal in place. If that’s not an option because your tooth cannot be saved, then we will carefully extract it before putting the next best thing in its place, like a dental bridge or implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH EXTRACTIONS

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Not usually. That said, there’s an important exception: if you’re experiencing uncontrollable bleeding. In that case, you should call 911 or head to the ER right away.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue After rinsing your mouth thoroughly with clean, cool water, use gauze (or a clean, damp washcloth) to apply pressure to the cut. The bleeding should stop within 10 minutes and, at that point, you can apply a cold compress to alleviate swelling.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue Most of the time, soft tissue injuries don’t require a visit to our office. Again, you should call 911 or head to the ER if the cut is bleeding uncontrollably.

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? If your jaw pain is minor, you should schedule an appointment with us, even if it’s in a week or two. If it’s so severe that it’s making it difficult to chew, sleep, or concentrate, then get an emergency exam on the calendar much sooner.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain Cold compresses, soft foods, and OTC pain medication will help alleviate your discomfort in the short term. For long term relief, you need to come to our office so we can take X-rays, conduct an exam, and pinpoint the root of the problem.

How We Treat Jaw Pain That depends! For example, if your jaw pain is stemming from impacted wisdom teeth, then we will recommend having them removed. Rest assured, your mouth will be completely numbed beforehand, so you won’t feel any discomfort during your time in the treatment chair.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTIONS

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

If you have something stuck between your teeth, use warm saltwater to rinse your mouth and then floss gently. If that doesn’t work, do NOT reach for something sharp, like tweezers or a toothpick. Instead, give us a call!