Emergency Care
If you or someone you know has suffered a traumatic injury of the teeth, jaw, mouth, or myofascial region, time is unfortunately not on your side. Dental injuries are very time-sensitive, meaning you only have a small window of time for a chance at re-implanting teeth that have been knocked out. There are also very specific instructions for preserving the tooth while you make your way to see Dr. Case. The first thing you should do is call us right away at (971) 239-4443.
Don’t go to the ER
Of course, if you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, you should call 911 immediately. However, because most dental emergencies are not considered life-threatening and are therefore not a high priority in the Emergency Room, you will likely have to wait for a long time, and by the time you are seen it may be too late. Not to mention folks in the ER are not equipped or trained to treat dental injuries, and will likely only refer you to an emergency dentist like Dr. Case anyway.
Emergencies seen the same day
Dr. Case and our team at Family Dental Health are trained and equipped to handle dental emergencies the same day. Because oral injuries tend to bleed a lot, the severity of the injury at first often seems greater than it actually is, and it can be hard to pinpoint the location and the nature of the injury because of the amount of blood. For this reason you should try and rinse your mouth with water to get a better look at the injury. You should call us immediately and we will guide you through what to do next, and we will do our best to get you in to see Dr. Case as soon as possible.
Tooth knocked out?
If you’ve had a tooth knocked out, follow the steps below for the best chance at saving the tooth:
- Pick up the tooth by the crown (the part that is usually visible), NOT the root. The tooth should be handled carefully to minimize damage to the root.
- If dirty, gently rinse the tooth with water. Do not use soap or chemicals, do not dry the tooth or wrap in tissue or cloth.
- Replace the tooth back into the socket immediately, if possible. The quicker this happens the greater chance we have of saving it. Make sure the tooth is facing the right direction. Hold the tooth in place with your fingers or by biting down gently.
- If the tooth cannot be placed back in the socket, place it inside your mouth next to your cheek to keep it moist, or place in emergency tooth preservation liquid, or milk, NOT WATER.
Call your Portland Emergency Dentist today!
If you or someone you know has experienced a traumatic dental injury, don’t wait until it’s too late! Call your Portland emergency dentist – Dr. David Case at Family Dental Health – right away at (503) 977-3400