Many dental offices can get booked up with appointments for weeks, even months in advance. And, if you need to see a dentist for a same day appointment, that can really be an issue. Especially if you are dealing with an emergency. The good news is that some dentists offer emergency walk-in service. What qualifies as an emergency for a walk in appointment? Read further as we explain emergency walk-in dental appointments.
Emergency Dental Walk-in Appointments
So, what is considered a dental emergency worthy of a walk-in appointment? Accidents and tooth injuries happen at any time of the day or night. What happens when you need immediate attention? You will need to find a dentist that offers emergency services through a walk in appointment. Read further for more details…
Mild tooth sensitivity, sore gums or bad breath can be considered relatively minor and can wait to be addressed at regularly scheduled dental appointments. It is important that these symptoms be treated, but they are not considered an emergency.
A toothache can cause pain and discomfort, making it hard to eat or sleep. You can try to treat a toothache with over the counter medicine, but if that does not control your pain, you can consider it a dental emergency. Call your dentist immediately for treatment. Tooth pain that is not handled by over the counter medicine may be a sign of something more serious.
A chipped or broken tooth can be considered a dental emergency. If you injured the tooth while playing sports or eating you will need to call your dentist as soon as possible. Fast action is what may save the broken tooth, because the sooner you see the dentist, the better the chance is that the tooth can be saved. You can preserve the pieces of the tooth by placing them in saline solution or milk while on the way to see the dentist. Use a cold compress on the face to reduce swelling.
If a tooth has been completely knocked out, consider that a dental emergency. If you can see the dentist within an hour of having the tooth knocked loose, there is a great chance that the dentist can re-insert the tooth back into its socket. While handling the loose tooth, pick it up by the crown, not the root. Pharmacies sell a product called save a tooth that you can use to place the lost tooth in, or store it in saline solution or milk on the way to the dentist.
A lost or loose filling can wait until a regularly scheduled visit, but do not let it go too long before being seen by your dentist. If you are experiencing pain along with the loose filling, you may want to call the dentist sooner rather than later. This also goes for a lost crown. Not an emergency, but you still should seek treatment as soon as you can.
An injury that has caused uncontrollable bleeding in the mouth is a dental emergency. See your dentist ASAP! A dental abscess is also considered a dental emergency. Abscesses are painful and can spread to the jaw, so prompt attention is required.