419 SE Main St., Suite 100, Simpsonville, SC 29681
New Patients: 864-920-3771With COVID-19 spreading along the East Coast, many dental offices have followed the ADA’s recommendation to limit hours and services. At O’Malley Dental, we’re still providing emergency dentistry services for our patients. Dr. Ryan O’Malley, a dentist in Simpsonville, SC, discusses what constitutes a dental emergency and how you can assist until you’re seen in the office.dentist in simpsonville, sc
Handling a Dental Emergency
If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, call us immediately. We want to get you seen in the office as soon as possible. Below is a list of common dental emergencies and what you can do to help until you can get into the office.
Severe Tooth Pain
Tooth pain is never something you should ignore. It can be caused by so many conditions, including extreme tooth decay, an abscess, or an infection. Unfortunately, many of these conditions aren’t noticeable and aren’t able to be diagnosed until a dentist examines the issue. Use over the counter pain medications to ease your pain and use a cold compress if you’re experiencing any swelling.
Knocked-Out Tooth
It’s important to try not to panic if an adult tooth gets knocked out. You want to remain calm enough so that you can retrieve the tooth. Be careful to pick it up by the crown and avoid touching the tooth root. Gently rinse off the tooth to clean off anything it picked up. Place it in a cup of milk or your own saliva to help preserve it. Never try to put the tooth back into the socket on your own.
When you get to our office, Dr. O’Malley will evaluate if the tooth is viable to be replaced in your mouth. If not, you don’t have to worry. We offer multiple options at our office to replace missing teeth. In particular, we recommend that you replace your tooth with dental implants. Often considered the gold standard of tooth replacement, they offer the stability that other methods can’t. They also give you the most natural look and feel.
Chipped, Cracked, or Broken Tooth
When you chip a tooth, you may get lucky and it can be only a cosmetic issue. This involves no pain and is merely a cosmetic issue. It can be remedied with something as simple as a bit of dental bonding. However, if you chip or break a tooth where the dental pulp and nerves are exposed, it’s a bigger problem. This causes a lot of pain and is considered an emergency.
A severe crack can also expose the inside of your tooth to bacteria. It makes it easy for bacteria to make its way into the dental pulp, possibly making a need for a root canal. A lot of dental bonding will have to be used. A dental crown or porcelain veneers also offer options to help with more severe breaks and cracks.
Your Dentist in Simpsonville, South Carolina
If you have an emergency, please call us immediately. We’ll also be here when the pandemic restrictions are eased to make sure stress hasn’t impacted your oral health. Call us or schedule an appointment online for the future!