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Dental emergencies can take several forms. Maybe you trip down the stairs at work and crack your tooth all of a sudden, or perhaps an uncomfortable sensation in your mouth has gradually built up to a searing pain that can no longer be ignored. Whatever your personal situation is, you need a trustworthy emergency dentist who can see you NOW instead of telling you about an opening in two weeks. At RiverPlace Dental, Dr. McInnis is dedicated to being this professional for patients in need in the Portland, OR area – just contact us today!
If you aren’t sure if what you’re experiencing is a dental emergency, you should give us a call regardless. This allows us to get to know your situation better and determine its urgency. For example, some problems can be addressed the next day, while others should really be handled as soon as possible.
Your financial situation should never prevent you from getting the urgent dental attention you need. There’s not a set fee for emergency services; however, our office does what we can to keep your treatment plan within your budget. Various factors affect the cost of emergency dentistry in New Lenox, like the severity of your situation. We’ll provide you with a personalized estimate and review your payment options to save your smile without draining your wallet.
No two dental emergencies are the same, so we do not use a cookie-cutter approach. As a result, multiple factors will influence the amount you’ll pay, such as the treatment needed. Although every care differs, common treatments recommended for emergency situations include:
Most dental insurances can be used to offset the cost of emergency services, like the consultation. Depending on the treatment necessary, you can use your benefits to lower the amount you’ll pay. Your insurance can cover up to 80% of the cost of common restorative treatments after reaching your deductible, like dental crowns. We will help you maximize your yearly benefits to rehabilitate your smile for minimal expense.
Besides using your dental insurance, we offer other options to keep emergency dentistry within your budget, including:
Rest assured; you’ll know exactly what you’ll need to pay before committing to any procedure, so you can sit back and relax while we repair your smile.
You can’t always prevent a dental emergency, but there are several things you can do to lower your risk of one. Most dental emergencies are the result of an untreated oral health problem, like tooth decay. While the original issue might have been minor, it can progress until you need urgent dental attention. Research shows every $1 spent on prevention can reduce your emergency expenses by $50. You can keep your teeth and gums healthy by brushing, flossing, and using an antimicrobial mouthrinse. Don’t forget to visit your dentist twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. They’ll monitor your smile to ensure there aren’t any dental issues lingering in your mouth.
Besides your oral hygiene, you can take various steps to protect your mouth from traumatic injuries, like wearing an athletic mouthguard if you play sports. You can also prevent damaging your smile by keeping inedible objects out of your mouth and not using your teeth as tools. If you have a habit of grinding and clenching your teeth, ask your dentist about adding a nightguard to your oral health plan to safeguard your smile.
In an ideal world, you could avoid the possibility of dental emergencies entirely. Unfortunately, accidents sometimes happen, like you bite into your fork when eating or you get hit in the jaw while playing a contact sport. The good news is that there are ways to reduce your odds of experiencing a serious dental injury over time. Here are some helpful tips for how to do that:
Of course, one of our first tips is to attend regular checkups and cleanings with our Portland dentist, Dr. McInnis! She can help you prevent small dental problems from becoming big emergencies later on by thoroughly checking your teeth, gums, and restorations at your biannual visits. Plus, one of our talented hygienists can clean the hard-to-reach areas of your mouth as well as remove plaque and tartar during your cleaning.
Daily, you need to take good care of your teeth and gums. That starts with using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste to brush each morning and evening – for two full minutes each time! Since this will only clean about 60% of the surface of your teeth, it’s imperative that you follow that up with flossing and rinsing with mouthwash. The entire process should only take a few minutes, and it will make a big impact on the health, look, and function of your smile.
Although sugar is the number one culprit of cavities, you can indulge in all of your favorite foods in moderation. What’s really important is consistently filling your plate with smile-friendly foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables. These will give your body the nutrients it needs to fight off infections.
While on the topic of food, it’s also worth noting that you shouldn’t chew on the solid ice in your drinks. On a similar note, you need to be careful when eating foods that are overly sticky or hard to chew.
Whether you’re at practice or a game, you need to wear a mouthguard. It’s as simple as that! If you don’t, then you’re left vulnerable to numerous dental problems, from loose restorations to completely knocked-out teeth. So, if you don’t have one (or you don’t wear yours because it’s old), then talk to our Portland dental team about having a custom one made.
In short, you should never use your teeth as tools. That means you shouldn’t use them to open tricky packaging, clip your nails, hold your keys, open bottle caps, or anything similar. This is a surefire way to damage your teeth, necessitating a same-day visit to our office for treatment.
Since dental emergencies are not relatively common, it can be difficult to know exactly what you should do when they occur. Over the years, Dr. Megan McInnis has gotten numerous questions at her practice regarding dental emergencies, which is precisely why she’s included a detailed FAQ section of the subject on her website. We encourage you to take a look through them below if you have questions regarding dental emergencies, or simply give us a call at your earliest convenience!
The only time you should consider going to the emergency room is if you’ve broken your jaw or you’re experiencing severe bleeding that will not stop. Unfortunately, most hospitals cannot treat common dental emergencies in the same way that a dentist can. This is largely because the doctors and workers in the emergency room are not trained to perform dental services. If you’ve experienced one of the dental emergencies listed above, you are better off giving us a call and scheduling an appointment that way.
It’s unlikely that a simple toothache could be lethal, but what can be lethal is an infection. Infections can develop in teeth when bacteria enter the inner area of the tooth where the pulp lies. Keep in mind untreated infections on their own can be deadly, but an infection so close to the brain is even more serious. While there’s no way to know for sure if your toothache is caused by infection until you get to our office, it’s better to play it safe rather than assume the discomfort will go away.
When choosing painkillers, always opt for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. This includes ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, two OTC drugs that work well against tooth pain. This is because they are designed to reduce inflammation in affected areas of the mouth. Stay away from aspirin as when it comes into contact with your tooth or gum tissue, it can actually cause a burning sensation.
In most cases, you should be calling our office right away when a dental emergency occurs. The longer you go without seeking professional treatment, the more likely your condition may worsen. The main exception for not visiting our office right away is when a tooth is only minorly chipped and it doesn’t cause any pain. If this is the case, it’s more than likely that you can wait until regular business hours to pay us a visit.
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