You can’t afford to waste time when you have urgent dental issues. That’s why you should get emergency dentistry here in Little Rock. At our office, we accept emergency calls after regular business hours and allow same-day visits. A session with us will quickly clear up your dangerous symptoms – from painful toothaches to broken teeth. Plus, you can trust our dental team’s skills. Our specialists have over thirty years of experience! So, read on to learn more or book a same-day visit soon.
Why Choose Little Rock Family Dental Care for Emergency Dentistry?
Our West Location is Open on Saturdays
Skilled Oral Surgeon on Staff
Emergency Calls Accepted After Hours
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
Maybe you’ve never had a dental emergency before. If so, don’t worry; Little Rock Family Dental Care will guide you through treatment. To that end, here are four things to expect from an emergency dental visit:
A Same-Day Appointment – When you call us, our dental team will pencil you in for the earliest possible visit. (You may even see us the very same day!) While you wait for this appointment, our staff can provide first-aid tips over the phone.
An Emergency Exam – After you arrive for the visit, we’ll have you undergo an oral exam. Doing so lets us learn the source of your condition. (It also helps us confirm how to relieve your pain.)
A Review of Findings – We’ll share our findings once the exam ends. Of course, we’ll suggest suitable procedures as part of this process. Your feedback will then help us draft a custom treatment plan that works for you. Rest assured; we’ll tell you the estimated cost and timeline before you commit.
Crucial Dental Care – Once your treatment plan is ready, we’ll address your dental issue(s) in short order. Our dentists and specialists have the right training and experience to do so. That means you can count on us for crowns, fillings, root canals, or anything else.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
There are many different kinds of dental emergencies – such as those caused by an infection or ones that result from a sudden injury – but the first step is always the same: call a dentist as soon as you can. Based on your symptoms, we can instruct you on what to do for your tooth. You’ll then get to prep for your emergency appointment. With all that said, follow the tips below to take control during common dental emergencies.
Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? All too often, patients assume that they can take the “wait and see” approach when it comes to toothaches. In reality, calling our Little Rock dental office is a top priority because we want to intervene with the necessary restorative care at the earliest possible stage.
How You Should Handle a Toothache: We already mentioned one thing you should do: call us to share your symptoms and schedule an appointment. Outside of that, we recommend rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater, using cold compresses for 10 minutes at a time, avoiding crunchy, hard, and sticky foods, and taking OTC pain medication as directed.
How We Treat Toothaches: How we restore the look, health, and function of your tooth depends largely on two things: the root of the problem and the extent of the damage. Usually, the solution is either a tooth-colored filling, a dental crown, or a root canal treatment. Rest assured, we will explain all of the options available to you at your appointment, so you aren’t left in the dark.
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Like a cracked tooth, a chipped tooth has the potential to negatively impact every aspect of your smile – from how it looks to how it functions. That’s why we recommend scheduling an exam with us even if you aren’t in pain or the chip is barely noticeable.
How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth: To prevent infection and protect the soft tissue in your mouth, we recommend using clean, lukewarm water to thoroughly rinse before putting a piece of sugar-free gum over the tooth. If you’re in pain, you can take over-the-counter pain medication as directed on the label, too.
How We Treat Chipped Teeth: Two common ways to restore a chipped tooth are dental bonding and veneers. The one we recommend for you will depend on factors like the size of the chip and your budget.
Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Absolutely! Not only can an infection develop quickly, but the crack can grow larger if it isn’t addressed right away. So, even if the damage seems relatively minor or you aren’t in pain, it’s important that you contact our Little Rock dental team ASAP.
How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth: First, call us to see if you can come in for a same-day emergency exam. Second, do what you can to protect your tooth from further harm, including sticking to soft foods and not chewing on that side of your mouth.
How We Treat Cracked Teeth: Again, we have a few options depending on the extent of the damage. If the crack is relatively minor, then we can use a same-day dental crown to quickly and painlessly restore your tooth. If the crack is more extensive, then our only option may be to carefully remove your tooth before filling the open space with a dental bridge or implant.
Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency?: There are several potential causes for dental sensitivity, and not all are considered emergencies. However, if it becomes more severe or lasts for several days without improving, you might have developed a more serious underlying concern requiring attention sooner rather than later.
How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth: Contact our office, and we’ll discuss the severity of your symptoms to provide first-aid tips over the phone if needed. Usually, you can rinse with warm salt water to reduce aches and inflammation, or take over-the-counter meds like Tylenol or Ibuprofen. You may want to avoid overly hot, cold, spicy, or crunchy foods that could trigger discomfort.
How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth: The treatment depends on the root problem causing the issue. Sometimes, the solution is as simple as providing a prescription mouthwash or topical fluoride treatment to strengthen your enamel. However, if you’ve developed decay or disease, you might require gum disease treatment, a tooth-colored filling, or a root canal and dental crown.
Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? If you’ve lost an adult tooth, you must act quickly if you hope to save it because it’s only viable for a short time outside of your mouth. Please contact us for a same-day visit as soon as you are able.
How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth: First, locate the tooth and gently pick it up, but only touch the crown (tooth-shaped) portion to avoid harming still-viable cells on the roots. Then, gently rinse any dirt or debris and place it in a container with a small amount of milk or your saliva to preserve it until you arrive at the scheduled time.
How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth: If your tooth is in good condition, there’s a chance we can place it back in its socket to reintegrate with your jawbone. Otherwise, we’ll likely recommend an appropriate replacement tooth to restore your smile.
Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency?: Dental work tends to wear down over time, so it’s not always an emergency if a filling or crown falls out. However, the underlying tooth is susceptible to additional damage, decay, and disease without a restoration, so please contact us as soon as possible.
How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown: Do your best to locate the crown or filling to bring with you to your appointment. If possible, you can try to reseat a dental crown back in its place with a small amount of toothpaste or dental cement until you arrive, but this isn’t recommended for fillings.
How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns: If your restoration is relatively recent and hasn’t been damaged, we might be able to recement it in its rightful position. Otherwise, we can provide a new dental crown or tooth-colored filling.
Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Although you might assume that it isn’t, a broken denture does warrant an immediate call to our Little Rock office. That way, we can quickly get the process of having yours repaired or replaced started.
How You Should Handle a Broken Denture Instead of wearing your dentures, place them in a clean container (this will help prevent them from breaking further). Until your appointment, stick to only extremely soft foods, like plain yogurt, cottage cheese, and applesauce, as well.
How We Treat Broken Dentures First, we will see if we can repair your denture at our office. If the damage is so severe that it needs to be replaced, then we will do that instead.
Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, especially if you feel like your tooth is on the brink of falling out. The sooner you call us, the sooner we can alleviate any pain you’re experiencing and restore your healthy smile.
How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth If you have a loose tooth in Little Rock, you might be tempted to wiggle it. Don’t! Instead, do what you can to prevent it from loosening further, like not chewing on that side of your mouth or touching it with your finger.
How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth Fortunately, loose permanent teeth can often be saved with dental splints. If that’s not possible, then we will need to extract it. Then, we will put a custom dental bridge or implant in its place to restore your strong bite and complete smile.
Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Not usually. That said, you should call 911 or head to the ER if you’re bleeding uncontrollably.
How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue Rinse your mouth gently with clean water to locate the cut. Then, use a clean, damp washcloth or gauze to apply pressure to it. Within 10 minutes, the bleeding should stop.
How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue We mentioned above that the cut should stop bleeding within 10 minutes. If it doesn’t, call 911 or head to the ER to get the medical attention you need.
Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Usually, jaw pain doesn’t require same-day care. With that said, you should call us right away if your symptoms have persisted for several days or have progressed to the point where they are interfering with your day-to-day life.
How You Should Handle Jaw Pain We recommend three things: use a cold compress for 10 minutes at a time, avoid crunchy foods, and take OTC pain medication.
How We Treat Jaw Pain That depends on what’s causing it! If it’s chronic teeth grinding, then a nightguard may be the solution. If it’s impacted wisdom teeth, on the other hand, then we will need to extract them.
Instead of reaching for something sharp, like a toothpick, rinse your mouth with warm saltwater a few times. Then, use a strand of floss to clean between your teeth. If the debris remains firmly in place, then give us a call.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
In some cases, emergencies are unavoidable, but we recommend taking the following preventive measures to protect teeth from potential damage:
Plan your diet carefully. Do not consume too many sugary or acidic foods throughout the day; when you do indulge, rinse your mouth with water as soon as you can.
Never bite down on ice, pen tips, packages, or other hard objects that could break your teeth.
Buy a mouthguard for sports or to wear at night (if you grind your teeth).
Protect your teeth and gums from infection with regular brushing and flossing in addition to getting your biannual checkups and cleanings.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
If you’re like many people, you’re probably not prepared for an unexpected dental bill, but time is of the utmost importance when experiencing a dental emergency, even when money is tight. Your financial situation should never prevent you from getting the care you need. Various factors affect the cost of emergency dentistry in Little Rock, but we strive to keep our services affordable. Don’t wait to contact our office for the attention you need.
Dental emergencies come in many forms and severities, which is why there’s no flat fee for urgent services because every situation is unique. Your emergency dentist in Little Rock will address any pain and examine your mouth to determine the best treatment to save your smile. While every case differs, common emergency treatments can include:
Root canal therapy
Tooth extraction
Dental crown
Periodontal therapy
TMJ therapy
We will provide you with a personalized estimate, so you will know exactly what you’ll have to pay.
Will Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Every dental plan is different, but most offer coverage for emergency dentistry. Besides your consultation, your insurance may cover any diagnostic imaging and a portion of common procedures. After meeting your annual deductible, your benefits can cover up to 80% of the expense of restorative treatments. A member of our team will work on your behalf with your dental insurance to maximize your coverage to lower the amount you’ll pay out of pocket.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
The expense of seeing a dentist should be the last thing on your mind. We will review all your payment options to help you find the solutions you need to keep your treatment affordable, including:
Free Second Opinions: We are glad to take a second look after visiting a previous dentist.
Traditional Payments: Our office accepts all traditional payment methods, including cash, personal checks, and credit cards.
Monthly Payments: You can pay any out-of-pocket expenses using a monthly payment plan through a third-party financing company, like CareCredit. Based on your credit approval, you can enjoy little or no-interest installments.
Special Offers: Our office regularly offers special promotions.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
It’s a common misconception that dental emergencies only result from trauma; however, untreated oral health issues are among the most common reasons people end up in a dentist’s chair. Skipping routine cleanings and checkups allows minor dental problems to go undetected, like cavities and gum disease. They will continue to worsen with no treatment, eventually causing a dental emergency, like a toothache or an infection.
Although you can’t stop accidents from happening, you can lower your risk of dental emergencies by visiting your dentist every 6 months and don’t delay any treatments. Besides routine appointments, it’s important to care for your mouth at home. Brush your teeth at least twice daily and floss nightly for healthy teeth and gums. If you play sports, don’t forget to wear an athletic mouthguard. We also recommend keeping inedible objects out of your mouth and not using your teeth in place of scissors or tools.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Without a doubt, the best way to handle a dental emergency is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Luckily, there are many measures you can take to keep your teeth healthy, strong, and out of harm’s way. Here’s how excellent oral care, smart eating decisions, wearing a mouthguard, and seeing us regularly at one of our three locations in Little Rock can help you avoid painful oral health emergencies and spare yourself the cost of treating them. Here are a few ways to keep your teeth healthy, beautiful, and pain-free, but feel free to contact our staff if you have any questions.
The American Dental Association recommends having a routine dental exam and cleaning twice a year. Visiting our office allows our dentist to thoroughly clean your teeth, inspect your mouth for any issues, resolve any problems in their early stages, and advise you as to better oral hygiene practices.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home
Everyone should stick to a daily regimen of brushing, flossing, and rinsing with antibacterial mouthwash to eliminate the accumulation of food debris and harmful bacteria that cause oral infections like gum disease and tooth decay. It also makes your breath fresh and minty, which is great for any social situation.
Be Careful with Your Diet
The residue of foods and beverages that are high in sugar such as candy, soda, and starchy items can accumulate in your mouth, providing fuel for the harmful oral bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Acidic drinks like soda, sports drinks, and wine are particularly bad because they weaken enamel on contact.
Wear a Mouthguard
A mouthguard can protect a smile from many kinds of dental damage. If you enjoy activities like contact sports, wear an athletic mouthguard to cushion your teeth against injuries. If you grind your teeth at night, we offer customized nightguards that deliver superior protection against chips, cracks, and enamel erosion.
Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging
Using your teeth to open packages or bottles is a great way to chip, crack, or fracture them, making it necessary to schedule an emergency appointment at our office. Never use your teeth for anything but chewing, speaking, and smiling. Instead of throwing your hard-earned money away on painful and preventable dental emergencies, consider investing in an inexpensive box cutter or a bottle opener.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Will my toothache go away on its own?
Despite popular belief, toothaches do not heal on their own. In fact, a once-painful toothache that has “disappeared” may actually be an indicator the infection has damaged the nerve of the tooth! Therefore, it’s always a good idea to schedule an appointment with your dentist right away. From there, they can determine the root of the problem and put a plan in place to restore the look and function of your smile.
Should I visit the emergency room first for dental emergencies?
If your dental emergency has resulted in a potentially life-threatening condition, like difficulty breathing or a broken jaw, then you should head to your local emergency room first. However, ERs typically don’t have dentists on staff, meaning they won’t be able to address dental emergencies effectively. Therefore, with all other smile-related injuries (lost filling, knocked-out tooth, etc.), your first call should be to your emergency dentist in Little Rock.
My chipped tooth doesn’t hurt. Do I still need a dental visit?
Even if your chipped tooth doesn’t hurt, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your dentist. Although you may not be in any pain, the inner layers of your tooth could be vulnerable to damage. Plus, your chipped tooth may break further without professional attention, resulting in sensitivity, soreness, and overall discomfort. With that being said, you can most likely afford to wait a day or two until your appointment if needed. Just make sure you don’t put off seeing your dentist for too long.
What should I keep in my emergency dental kit?
From a lost filling to a knocked-out tooth, dental injuries can be anxiety-inducing. To make the entire experience as stress-free as possible, preparation is paramount. You should keep an emergency dental kit accessible with these essentials:
A storage container large enough to fit a tooth or restorations
Sterile gloves
Gauze pads
Cotton balls
Dental cement (or other temporary filling material)
Denture adhesive
Petroleum jelly
Anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen
Orajel
Floss
An ice pack or cold compress
Contact information for your emergency dentist in Little Rock
