Emergency Dentist Holden
Standing By to Help Your Hurting Smile
It’s simply impossible to predict when you might sustain a dental injury – and truthfully, these situations have a knack for occurring at the most inconvenient times! In any case, if you or a loved one is dealing with a dental emergency in Holden, you can count on Dr. Ma and our team to be ready to step in and help. To learn more about our emergency dentistry services, continue reading below; if you’re in need of urgent care, don’t wait to call our office!
Why Choose Holden Dental Care for Emergency Dentistry?
- Dental-Insurance Plans Accepted
- Same-Day Emergency Appointments
- 40+ Years of Serving the Community
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
There isn’t one particular treatment that’s universally used for addressing dental emergencies – it will always depend on the nature of the emergency and its severity. With that in mind, the very first thing you should do as soon as you’ve discovered your smile is hurt is call our office. Once you’ve spoken to one of our team members, we’ll let you know when you need to come in for care, even if it’s on the very same day! Don’t simply wait around for things to get better; dental emergencies do not typically resolve on their own.
Once you’re here, we’ll work quickly to address your dental pain and determine the cause of the issue. Depending on your situation, we might be able to treat your smile then and there, or we might ask you to return for a follow-up visit. Either way, we’ll prioritize treating your discomfort and putting any anxiety or doubts you have to rest.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
It’s possible that your dental emergency might not be causing you any outright pain – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t serious! We can treat a wide range of dental emergencies here in our office; feel free to view the icons below to learn a little more about how we’re able to help with certain scenarios.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
All too often, patients hesitate to schedule an appointment due to concerns about the cost. To help prevent that from happening, our team at Holden Dental Care provides upfront estimates of the cost and offers several financial solutions, including our Simply Savings Plan. So, if you have any questions about the price, don’t hesitate to give us a call! You can also read on to learn more, starting with why there isn’t a flat fee for emergency dentistry.
Why Every Dental Emergency is Different
The answer is simple: no two situations are exactly the same! In order to provide you with an accurate estimate of the price, we need to complete a comprehensive oral exam. In the process, we will determine the type of dental injury that’s present, how severe the damage is, and which treatment (or combination of treatments) is needed to restore the health and beauty of your smile.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Fortunately, many dental insurance providers cover between 50% and 80% of the cost of essential restorative care. Not only that, but some plans include additional benefits, like a covered emergency exam each year. So, it pays to be familiar with your coverage! If you need any help understanding or utilizing your benefits, you’re more than welcome to provide us with your membership information as well. That way, we can help you maximize your coverage and lower your out-of-pocket expenses.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
You can also make the cost of emergency dental care more affordable by:
- Joining Our Simply Savings Plan – The adult plan comes with two regular cleanings, routine X-rays, one emergency exam, and several other cost-saving benefits.
- Signing Up for Flexible Financing – Would you prefer to pay for your treatment in smaller, more manageable chunks that fit comfortably in your budget? With CareCredit, you can!
How Taking Care Of Your Smile Can Save You Money
If you want to avoid a painful dental injury that requires same-day care from your emergency dentist in Holden, it’s crucial that you take good care of your smile. That starts with everyday habits, like brushing your teeth, and extends to scheduling a dental exam every six months. It’s also important to avoid doing anything that could lead to a serious chip or crack, like wearing a mouthguard during sports and exercising caution with crunchy foods.
Important reminder: If you start to notice something unusual, like persistent sensitivity, don’t wait – call us ASAP to schedule an exam. That way, we can pinpoint and treat the root of the problem before it has a chance to worsen.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Although our team at Holden Dental Care aims to always be just a phone call away when our patients need us, we also know how painful and stressful dental emergencies can be. That’s why we also want to help you protect your smile from harm. In fact, we’re dedicating this next section to covering how you can reduce your risk of winding up at our office with a serious chip, crack, or fracture.
Visit Your Dentist Every Six Months
Patients often assume that preventive care begins and ends with brushing their teeth. That’s not the case! In fact, your oral hygiene regimen is ultimately incomplete if you don’t come to our office every six months for a dental checkup and cleaning. These visits play a crucial role in catching common dental problems early on, like tooth decay, as well as removing plaque and tartar that your toothbrush and floss have left behind.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
Maintaining a solid oral hygiene regimen is crucial when it comes to reducing your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and other common dental problems. So, do your best to brush for two full minutes each morning and evening, floss at least once a day, and rinse with mouthwash regularly. It’s also important that you clean your tongue, replace your toothbrush (or toothbrush head) every quarter, and rinse with mouthwash for a full 30-60 seconds.
Exercise Caution with Crunchy Foods
Another great way to reduce your chances of needing to schedule a same-day visit with one of our emergency dentists in your area is by exercising caution with hard pretzels, raw almonds, and other extremely crunchy foods. It’s also important to fill your plate with nutrient-dense foods that benefit your oral and overall health, like plain yogurt, cooked carrots, and scrambled eggs.
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
Another common misconception that patients have is that they only need to wear a mouthguard if they participate in contact sports. In reality, it’s important to wear one even if you ride your bike, play tennis, skateboard, or lift weights. That way, your teeth are protected from chronic clenching, a bad fall, and other immense forces.
Tip: If you don’t have a mouthguard already, schedule an appointment with our team at Holden Dental Care so we can have a custom one made for you. In addition to ensuring that it’s the appropriate thickness for the sport that you play, we will make sure that it fits comfortably so you’ll actually want to wear it!
Break Bad Habits, Like Smoking
Last, but definitely not least, you should break bad habits, like smoking, chewing on ice cubes, and biting your nails. You should also avoid using your teeth as tools to open things, even something as seemingly harmless as plastic wrapping. Instead, take the time to find and use the right tool, like scissors, a bottle cap opener, or nail clippers.
Dental Emergency FAQs
How long can a tooth last after it has been knocked out of your mouth?
It usually only takes about 15 minutes for the tooth to start to die. That’s why it’s so important that you act fast! In addition to scheduling an appointment at our office within the hour, you need to find the tooth, pick it up by the crown (the chewing surface), and place it back in its socket. If it doesn’t slide back into place easily, don’t force it. Instead, submerge it in milk or saline solution.
Do I need to go to the dentist for a small chip in my tooth?
Yes. After all, even a relatively small chip can leave the tooth vulnerable to further damage and infection. That’s why we recommend reaching out to our team at Holden Dental Care right away. Over the phone, we will learn more about what happened, assess the urgency of the situation, and schedule an appointment at our office accordingly.
Will my tooth sensitivity eventually go away on its own?
That depends on what’s causing it! For instance, if you recently got a root canal, then sensitivity is to be expected and should fade in the coming days. Of course, if you aren’t sure what the trigger is or your discomfort is progressively getting worse, then that’s a different story. In that case, you should schedule an exam so we can determine if an untreated oral health problem is the culprit, like a cavity.
Is it safe to use a toothpick?
We don’t recommend using a toothpick, no. There are a few reasons for this, starting with the fact that the sharp edge can irritate your gums. Not only that, but accidentally swallowing one could be fatal. So, if you get something lodged between your teeth, like a piece of food, we recommend a different approach: rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater a few times before using a clean strand of floss to gently remove the debris.
What does chronic bad breath mean?
Chronic bad breath is often due to diet or oral hygiene. For that reason, we recommend steering clear of pungent foods (i.e., pickled onions, garlic, white fish) and committing to a solid dental care regimen at home if you are struggling with an unpleasant odor on your breath. If that doesn’t work, then don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with one of our emergency dentists in Holden. That way, they can determine if the smell is due to an untreated oral health problem, like an infection.
What should I keep in my emergency dentistry kit?
Dental injuries can happen at a moment’s notice. That’s why we recommend having an emergency dental kit ready! In it, include:
- A small container for teeth or restorations
- Gauze pads and dressings
- Dental cement (or another temporary filling material)
- Denture adhesive
- Anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen
- A topical anesthetic, like Orajel
- An ice pack
- Our contact information, including our address
