Emergency Dentist – Westhampton, NY
Quick, Compassionate Care for Those in Need
At Beach Dental, we’re not just your run-of-the-mill dental office. We want to become your dental home, and as such, we do our best to make our patients feel as comfortable as possible with us—even in the most unpleasant circumstances in a dental emergency. Our evening and Saturday hours allow us to accommodate you more easily when you need us most. You can rest assured that we’ll do what we can to fit you into our schedule as quickly as possible so that you can find relief.
How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies
When you’re in the middle of a dental emergency situation, it can be difficult to stay calm or know what to do. Our team can provide guidance for you until you can come into our office, helping you increase the chances of successful treatment. Here are just some of the scenarios you may face and how to deal with them.
Toothaches
Tooth pain often results from decay that has reached the sensitive inner layer of your tooth, called the pulp. In this case, a root canal can clear away the infected portions of your tooth while preserving the healthy structure. Before your appointment, you can take over-the-counter pain medication and rinse your mouth with warm water to keep the tooth clean.
Chipped or Broken Tooth
If your tooth gets chipped or broken, try to gather the pieces of your tooth and bring them with you to your appointment with us. We will do our best to salvage your broken tooth, but keep in mind that we may need to extract the tooth if the damage is severe enough.
Knocked-Out Tooth
When a tooth is completely dislodged, time is especially precious. Avoid touching the root of the tooth and carefully place it back into the socket, or store it in milk. Try to get to our office within an hour for the best possible chances of saving your natural tooth.
Lost Crown or Filling
In the case of a lost crown or filling, try to keep the area clean by rinsing your mouth with warm water. At Beach Dental, we have the technology to replace a missing crown on the same day as your appointment, getting you back to full oral health faster!
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Some dental emergencies cannot be avoided; however, others can. If you do the following, you’ll be less likely to experience a dental emergency:
- Brush twice and floss once daily.
- Visit Beach Dental twice every year for your dental checkup and cleaning appointment.
- Avoid using your teeth as tools to open packaging or bottles.
- Don’t chew on hard things, including ice, pencils or pens, and your fingernails.
- Wear a sports mouthguard when you participate in contact sports like football or basketball or in potentially risky activities (e.g., skateboarding, riding a bike).
Emergency FAQs
In a dental emergency situation, your mind can race through a million questions. However, there’s one question you don’t have to ask: where can I turn for help? Beach Dental is here to get your smile back on track no matter what emergency you’re going through. We’ve also answered some of the most commonly asked questions about dental emergencies below and encourage you to read our responses. If you have other concerns or questions that aren’t addressed here, just give us a call, and we’ll help however we can.
Should I Just Wait Until My Next Checkup?
No! You should never wait to seek help if you’re experiencing a dental emergency. Not only are many dental emergencies painful, but they also need to be addressed quickly to preserve your smile. For instance, if you have a toothache and postpone treatment, the decay could spread to the entire tooth or even to other teeth, causing more damage, pain, and cost. It’s always better to call our office right away so that we can do our best to save your natural teeth and relieve your pain.
What Should I Do If I Have Something Stuck Between My Teeth?
If a large piece of food is stuck between your teeth, it could cause your teeth to shift out of alignment or lead to decay. Use floss to gently pry the object or food out. Although you may utilize a toothpick if floss isn’t available, avoid using other hard, sharp objects like a knife because they could severely damage your gum tissue or crack a tooth. If you cannot get the object out from between your teeth on your own, call our office.
How Soon Can You Help Me?
At Beach Dental, we don’t want you to suffer longer than you absolutely need to. That’s why we do our best to see you on the same day as your phone call. Even if we aren’t able to treat you in person immediately, we can provide guidance and advice for dealing with the problem until you can come in. We may even have a telemedicine visit for more one-on-one help. Although going to the emergency room may seem like a good idea in the moment, keep in mind that hospitals rarely have the equipment or training to handle dental emergencies.
What Are My Financial Options for a Dental Emergency?
When you’re in pain, the last concern on your mind should be the cost of treatment. At Beach Dental, we offer multiple ways to make your dental care affordable. With our patient loyalty plan, you can get a discount on our services without the claims paperwork and other insurance headaches. We also accept payment through CareCredit, a third-party financier. That way, the total cost is divided into monthly bills that more easily fit in your budget.
Cost of Dental Emergencies
Because the range of emergency scenarios is so wide and varied, the treatments required could be as simple as a prescription or as extensive as extraction and advanced restorative work. In any case, our team of experts at Beach Dental will help you and work with you to understand what you are responsible for paying after dental insurance.
When you need our experienced, caring team the most, you can bet that we’ll make your comfort and oral health our first priority. Contact our Westhampton office today!