Emergency Dentist in Tomball

While oral injuries are the most obvious dental emergencies, they are not the only kind of emergency that requires immediate treatment. Things like serious toothaches that may require a root canal qualify as dental emergencies, as well as damaged dental work, such as a pulled-out crown or filling.

As a general rule, if your oral condition is causing you serious pain and discomfort, and there is no way for you to treat it on your own, this is considered a dental emergency and should seek professional help right away.

Sometimes, you may not be sure if your condition counts as a dental emergency. However, there are a few common signs you can look for that may indicate that your condition is an emergency.

• You’re experiencing serious oral pain – Serious oral pain doesn't just happen for no reason. Whether a specific tooth hurts, or you are experiencing a headache or pain that seems to be radiating from a particular area of your mouth, oral pain is a sure sign that something is wrong, and that you may need emergency care.
• Your dental work is damaged or loose – If you pull out a crown or filling while eating a piece of chewy candy, for example, this is a serious emergency. Your tooth can become exposed to oral bacteria and the weak enamel could quickly become damaged if you do not have your dental work replaced.
• Your mouth or jaw is swollen – Serious swelling of the mouth, jaw, or cheek can result from oral trauma, like a slip and fall. However, it could also indicate an issue like a severe tooth infection or abscess.
• Your mouth is bleeding uncontrollably – Oral lacerations to the gums, cheek, and tongue are common oral injuries, and they may require professional care, such as stitches if the bleeding does not stop in an hour or two.
• You have a toothache that won’t go away – A toothache that does not go away is a sign that you may have an infected tooth that needs to be treated with a root canal. If you do not get emergency care, the infection will only get worse and more painful, and your tooth may eventually die and fall out.
• Your tooth is damaged, loose, or knocked out of your mouth – If your tooth feels loose, or it has been cracked or chipped by an oral injury, you need to get help right away. A knocked-out tooth is a serious dental emergency and must be treated within 1-2 hours to ensure it can be replaced successfully.

If you recognize one or more of these signs, you are having a dental emergency. Contact Willow Creek Smiles right away for an emergency appointment at (281) 516-8575, and come in as soon as you can for treatment.

If your tooth is knocked out, it is critical to get treatment within 1-2 hours to ensure the best outcome. You should take the following steps to save your tooth:

• Recover your tooth – Recover your tooth and rinse it off gently with warm water. Do not use soap or any other detergent. Then, replace it in the socket, if possible, and leave it in place. Alternatively, put it in a small baggie or container of cold milk.
• Call us for an appointment – Your tooth needs to be re-implanted as soon as possible. Immediately after recovering it, call Willow Creek Smiles and let us know that you’re coming in. Contact us at (281) 516-8575.
• Address bleeding – If your mouth is bleeding, you can use clean cotton balls or sterile gauze to address bleeding. Bleeding should slow within 1-2 hours.
• Minimize pain and swelling – You can take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen for pain relief. Avoid aspirin, because it is a blood thinner and interferes with blood clotting. Ice packs can be applied externally to treat pain and swelling.
• Come to Willow Creek Smiles as soon as you can – Do your best to get to our office within an hour of your injury. This gives us the best chance of saving and replacing your tooth. For a walk-in appointment, just come to our office at 9166 FM 2920 Rd. Suite 900, Tomball, TX 77375.

While dental emergencies and oral injuries can be extremely painful and debilitating, they are very rarely life-threatening. For this reason, it’s usually not a good idea to try to get treatment at a hospital ER.Most ERs are not set up to handle dentistry cases, so you may be turned away and referred to a local emergency dentist. Even if you can get treatment at an ER, you will pay much more for care at the ER than you would at a dentist’s office.
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When deciding whether or not to go to the ER, we recommend using your best judgment. If you are experiencing a condition that could be life-threatening, such as severe and uncontrollable bleeding, a broken jaw, or swelling in your mouth that is interfering with breathing and swallowing, you should go to the ER.

Same-day dental appointments are critical for treating dental emergencies. The longer you wait to treat a tooth that’s infected, damaged, loose, or even has been knocked-out altogether, the less likely it will be that Dr. Nguyen will be able to repair and save your tooth.
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Not only that, but emergency dentistry is critical for getting relief from pain and discomfort. A serious dental injury like an impacted tooth or a serious infection can be absolutely excruciating. The faster you get treatment, the sooner you’ll be able to go back to your day-to-day life.

At Willow Creek Smiles, we don’t think that money should ever come between you and your dental health, especially in an emergency. We offer resources for all of our patients to help keep your care affordable. We are in network with many insurance companies, and we also offer payment plans for patients who don’t have dental insurance. Our compassionate, friendly team will go over which options are best for you.

At Willow Creek Smiles, we can handle just about any dental emergency. We offer convenient, same-day appointments and sedation for our emergency patients. we’re always here to help. To get the help you need, just give us a call at (281) 516-8575, or stop by our office at 9166 FM 2920 Rd. Suite 900, Tomball, TX 77375 for a walk-in emergency appointment.