Emergency Dental Services in Calgary SW
Even if you take your dental health seriously, you can still run into a dental emergency at some point in time, which is why it makes sense to know how to handle a problem when your dentist’s office is closed for the day. Because if you do run into an urgent dental problem during off-hours, there are things you can do to get the help you need.
Here is some information on what to do if you have a dental emergency after office hours.
After-Hours Number
One of the first orders of business when you find a dentist is to ask about his or her policy for after-hours care in the event of an emergency. What your dentist will do is either provide you with an alternate telephone number for you to call or provide you with the location of a dental clinic that you can use for after-hours emergencies. Either way, you’ll know what to do and where to go if need be.
Managing Pain
Whether your dentist has after-hours help available or you have to go to an emergency clinic to get help, there are certain things you can do to get some relief before you actually see a dentist.
If you have a toothache, your first order of business is to contact your dentist and let him or her know about the symptoms. Using over-the-counter pain meds could help until you see your dentist as well. Should you have a broken tooth, you need to let your dentist know. If the break is little, your dentist might be able to fix it with a bit of filling. However, if the break is major, you might require a root canal. You might even require a crown for the broken or chipped tooth.
In the event that you get one of your teeth knocked out due to a mishap, you should see your dentist as soon as possible since he or she might be able to put it back in place. If your dentist is able to put the tooth back in within two hours of it falling out, there is a possibility that it could be saved.
If you lose a filling, there is something you can do between the time it occurs and the time you get to see your dentist. Simply put, you can place a piece of sugar-free chewing gum over the area where the filling fell out. This will provide protection for a limited time period.
These self-administered treatments are useful if an emergency happens after hours since you can do something proactive before getting in to see your dentist.