Emergency Dentist – Columbia, MO
Your Home for Urgent Dental Care
If you or a loved one are suffering from a severe dental injury or toothache pain, don’t hesitate to contact Columbia Healthy Smiles right away to schedule an emergency dentistry appointment. In most cases, we should be able to see you on the same day as your initial call, and in the meantime, we can provide instructions for how to effectively manage your situation until you reach us. Our dental team and trusted emergency dentist here in Columbia, MO are dedicated to always treating dental patients with focus, compassion, and personalized attention. We also welcome emergency dentistry patients from Ashland, Centralia, Fulton, Hallsville, and beyond. Let us know right away if you need assistance! It’s always best to get to work repairing damaged smiles right away.
Why Choose Columbia Healthy Smiles for Emergency Dentistry?
- Same-Day Appointments Available
- Advanced Dental Technology
- Focused on Long-Term Care
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
We’ll make arrangements to see you as soon as possible (ideally on the same day) whenever you call for emergency care. Our team will perform a thorough examination of the teeth, gums, and other relevant dental structures to narrow down the problem. Once we understand your situation, we’ll tell you what treatments are available, how long you can expect them to take, and what the estimated costs are. Once you’ve agreed on a treatment plan, all that’s left is to carry it out.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
What constitutes an emergency? Many patients hesitate to reach out to us when they experience decay, damage, or toothaches because they don’t feel completely confident they need emergency dental care. However, whether or not we end up recommending you come to see us immediately, it’s always best to get started repairing dental damage before it has time to spread or worsen. The following are some of the most common cases your Columbia emergency dentist, Dr. Philip Batson, would consider urgent:
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
Our biggest concern during a dental emergency is to stop your pain and protect your oral health. We will let you know how much you can expect to pay for any given treatment, and we’ll make sure that you understand exactly why certain services are being recommended for your smile. Our team is more than happy to help you find ways to fit the cost of emergency care into your budget, such as maximizing your insurance benefits.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
We focus our patients’ personalized dental care plans on prevention. While you may not be able to plan for or avoid dental emergencies, there are some changes you can make to reduce your risk for an emergency, including:
- Brush teeth at least two minutes at a time at least twice a day, using a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Floss teeth at least once each day.
- Visit our dental office twice a year for dental checkups and teeth cleanings.
- Do not use teeth as tools to open packages or crack nuts.
- Do not eat ice, bite nails, or chew on other hard objects.
- Wear sportsguards as directed to protect your smile during athletic events and practices.
- Wear mouthguards at nighttime to protect teeth from grinding and clenching during sleep.
Caring for Your Smile at Home
When you call our dental office for dental care, we’ll walk you through first aid and pain management steps over the phone. However, some basics to keep in mind during a dental emergency include:
- Use cool water to gently rinse out the mouth or clean off knocked-out teeth or parts of teeth. Do not scrub or brush damaged tissue or use oral hygiene products unless directly instructed to do so.
- Use floss to remove objects stuck between teeth. Do not use sharp or pointed items as this may damage soft tissue.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers as directed for discomfort or sensitivity, but do not place an aspirin directly onto the tooth.
- Apply pressure with a gauze or clean cloth to slow bleeding.
- Use an ice pack or cold compress to slow bleeding, reduce swelling, and relieve pain.
- Replace a knocked-out tooth or dental restoration in the socket it came from whenever possible. If you’re unable to replace the tooth or restoration, store it in a container of milk until you reach the dental office.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Will my toothache go away on its own?
The reason we don’t recommend taking the “wait and see” approach is because, the more time that passes, the worse the root of the problem will get. In other words, your tooth isn’t able to heal from decay or infection without the necessary restorative care. So, whether you’ve been dealing with a toothache for a day, a month, or over a year now, the best thing to do is schedule an appointment with our Columbia emergency dentist.
How should I sleep with tooth pain?
If you’re out-of-town, or your symptoms surfaced a few hours after going to bed, a same-day visit may not be possible. If you find yourself in this situation, then it’s important to know a few measures you can take to alleviate your pain in the short-term, like taking OTC pain medication (following the directions on the label) and propping up a few pillows so your head stays elevated throughout the night. You can also use a cold compress for 10 minutes at a time to help alleviate pain, swelling, and inflammation.
Should I visit the emergency room first for dental emergencies?
You should only go to the ER if your dental injury is accompanied by potentially life-threatening symptoms, like difficulty breathing or uncontrollable bleeding. Remember, hospitals don’t typically have dentists on-staff. So, if you go there with a toothache, the most they will be able to do is alleviate your pain and send you to your dentist.
What does throbbing tooth pain mean?
Throbbing tooth pain is never good news. That’s why contacting us ASAP to schedule an emergency exam is so important! Once Dr. Batson or Dr. Abe has the opportunity to learn more about your symptoms, review your X-rays, and take a look at the tooth in question, they can determine if a crack in your enamel, a cavity, or an infection is the root of the problem.
Do I need to visit for minor chips to teeth?
You might think the answer is “no,” especially if you aren’t in pain. However, your tooth cannot regenerate on its own. Plus, even if it doesn’t hurt, it’s possible for an infection to develop or for the tooth to break further. For those reasons, we recommend scheduling an appointment with us before the end of the week.
Can superglue be used to repair broken dentures?
Superglue may be an effective adhesive, but it contains toxins that are not safe to ingest. So, don’t use this (or any other) household product to attempt to repair your denture. Instead, give us a call, share what happened, and schedule an appointment to have your restoration repaired or replaced by a dental professional.
What does chronic bad breath mean?
If you’re having trouble keeping your breath minty-fresh, then start by taking a look at your diet. If it’s filled with pickled onions, garlic, fish, and other pungent foods, then make some adjustments to your meals and see if that helps. If the odor persists, then an untreated oral health problem may be to blame. Come in for a visit so we can learn more about your concerns, conduct an oral exam, and share our recommendations on how to move forward – whether that’s switching your at-home oral hygiene products or addressing tooth decay.