You can’t always plan for when you need to visit the dentist. If a severe toothache or broken tooth catches you by surprise, Dr. Durga and our whole team are prepared to accept your dental emergencies. Sometimes, getting attention right away can mean the difference between saving your tooth or not.
If you are unsure whether or not you’re dealing with a dental emergency in Carrollton, remember that if you’ve broken something, are in pain, or are bleeding from the mouth, chances are you need to seek urgent attention. Contact us right away, and a member of our team will let you know what to do.
Why Choose DD Family Dentistry for Emergency Dental Care?
Talented Dentist with Experience Caring for Smiles of All Ages
Wide Range of Personalized Services All Under One Roof
Numerous Options to Make Emergency Dental Care More Affordable
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
A dental emergency is called an emergency for a reason. The sooner you can get to our office for treatment, the higher your chances are of a full and easy recovery. If you let a toothache fester, we may need to extract your tooth rather than providing a simple root canal. When emergency occurs, time is of the essence so call our office right away if you’re experiencing one. From there, here’s what you can expect:
Schedule a same-day emergency appointment: We make every effort to see our emergency patients the same day they call us. We’ll also provide first-aid instructions for managing your situation until you can reach us.
Your emergency exam with Dr. Durga Devarakonda: As soon as you arrive, we’ll get to work relieving any immediate, intense pain and examining your smile to determine the extent and source of your emergency.
Review the findings and make a plan: Next, we’ll review our findings with you and fully explain all your treatment options. You’ll always know the estimated length and cost of a treatment before we begin.
Get the care you need right away: As soon as you’ve agreed to a treatment plan, we’ll start repairing your smile, whether that’s with a filling, root canal therapy, or something else entirely. Before you know it, you’ll be back to enjoying a happy, healthy, and pain-free smile!
Should I Go to the ER for a Dental Emergency?
If you can, it’s always better to visit our office for a dental emergency because we specialize in dentistry. However, there are some situations that require an immediate ER visit. Jaw injuries, deep facial cuts, bleeding that won’t stop, or anything that affects your breathing should be treated at the nearest urgent care. However, for chipped teeth, lost teeth, or other dental injuries, we are ready and able to help you get back to full health and comfort.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
There is a difference between dental pain and an emergency. Sometimes, a piece of food can cause significant pain and irritation, but by simply brushing and flossing, you can make yourself comfortable. However, when dental pain occurs that keeps you from doing your normal activities like eating, speaking, and focusing on work, you’ll need to visit our office right away for treatment. Additionally, if any part of your tooth breaks, even without pain, you should call us as soon as possible for treatment. If you see your situation listed among the following common dental emergencies, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us right away!
If the unexpected happens and you experience a serious dental injury or infection, you should not be afraid to contact your dentist because you are worried about how much treatment will cost. At DD Family Dentistry of Carrollton, we are committed to providing quality, affordable dental care for every patient, including those that need emergency treatment. Our dedicated staff will work on your behalf to maximize your dental insurance benefits and reduce out-of-pocket costs. We are also happy to connect uninsured patients with additional resources that will make paying for emergency treatment extremely manageable and not a major source of stress.
What Factors Influence the Cost of Emergency Dental Care?
As you may expect, emergency dental care typically costs more than a routine dental checkup and cleaning. The final cost of treating a dental emergency is often influenced by a variety of factors, such as:
Where You Are Located: All types of dental care, including emergency care, tend to be more expensive in larger cities or other communities where the cost of living is higher.
If You Have Dental insurance: Your out-of-pocket expenses for emergency care will likely be significantly reduced if you have dental insurance.
Type of Treatment You Need: Your costs will vary depending on the type of treatment you need, as will your insurance coverage. While every insurance plan is different, most plans cover minor services at 70-80% and major restorative treatment at 50-70%. If you would like help understanding the particulars of your insurance plan, just ask our knowledgeable and friendly staff!
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Because there are so many different types of dental emergencies that can occur, plus all of the varying insurance plans, it’s difficult to know the coverage that you may receive. However, our front desk team works closely with insurance providers to maximize your benefits while minimizing out of pocket spending. Typically, most insurance plans will be able to at least partially cover your treatment, making our high-quality dentistry also affordable and accessible. At DD Family Dentist, we are proud to be an in-network provider for the following PPO dental insurance plans:
Aetna
BlueCross BlueShield
Delta Dental
Guardian
Don’t have dental insurance? No problem. Our in-house Membership Dental Savings Plan is designed to provide uninsured patients with quality dental care, including emergency care, for an affordable monthly fee.
Why You Should Schedule a Consultation
Putting off emergency dental care will likely only make the situation worse and may even lead to irreversible damage. So, if you experience a dental emergency, you should not hesitate to schedule an immediate consultation with Dr. Devarakonda. During your emergency appointment, Dr. Devarakonda will examine your teeth and mouth to determine the severity of the problem and recommend appropriate treatment options. She will also be able to discuss the estimated cost of emergency treatment with you at that time.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
When a dental emergency occurs, it’s important that you have a plan in place to get help as quickly as possible. But wouldn’t it be better to take proactive steps to avoid seeing an emergency dentist altogether? At DD Family Dentistry of Carrollton, we’re here when you need us most, but we’re also available to help you safeguard your smile with ways to prevent dental emergencies in Carrollton. Below you will find some useful tips you can apply to your daily life that will ensure your teeth remain damage-free. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
One of the most important ways you can avoid decay and serious damage to your teeth is by seeing your dentist regularly. During these six-month visits, our team can check for signs that may negatively impact your smile in the future and quickly work to treat these issues early on. We can also clean your teeth and remove hardened plaque and tartar that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. One of the best parts of these appointments is that most dental insurance companies cover them at 80-100%, so you have little-to-no out-of-pocket expenses. Uninsured? Not a problem! You can apply for our dental savings plan that provides you with a host of benefits all for one low, monthly fee.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home
Apart from the visits to our office, you’ll also need to take the necessary steps at home to keep your teeth and gums healthy and strong. By maintaining a good oral hygiene routine, you can keep bad bacteria and acids from eating away at your tooth enamel and causing dental caries, gum disease, or bad breath. Remembering to brush twice a day for two minutes, floss at least once a day, and rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash will help keep your smile looking and feeling its best.
Stick to a Nutritious Diet
Leafy greens, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, fruits, and vegetables are all nutrient-rich foods that are ideal for consumption if you want to maintain a healthy smile. Potato chips, candy, and other forms of junk food, especially those that are hard and crunchy, can not only increase your waistline but also increase your risk for decay and disease as well as cause chips and cracks in your teeth. Whether it is popcorn kernels, peanut brittle, or chomping down on ice, you run the risk of fracturing, breaking, or chipping a tooth and spending the rest of your day in your emergency dental office in Carrollton.
Wear a Mouthguard
If you enjoy sports or physical activities, make sure to talk to our team about mouthguards. These custom-made oral appliances are great for protecting your teeth, gums, and bone from hard-hitting tackles or fly balls.
Sports not your thing? Maybe you struggle with teeth grinding at night while you sleep. If so, a custom-fabricated nightguard can help keep your teeth from coming into contact with each other throughout the night, decreasing the wear and tear on your teeth and alleviating any jaw pain you might experience.
Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging
If you’re like most people, the minute you experience difficulty opening a small package or container, you bring it to your mouth to let your teeth take on the task. Unfortunately, this can spell disaster for your smile. While you may not think opening a small package of soy sauce will damage your pearly whites, it can cause small tooth fractures or cracks to develop, resulting in necessary emergency dental care. This means more time and money spent to repair a problem that could be avoided in the first place. Instead of relying on your teeth for these tasks, spend the extra few minutes finding the right tool to take care of the job.
Dental Emergency FAQs
You never know when you might encounter a dental emergency, so it is understandable to have some questions about what you can expect. Here are the answers to some of the most common inquiries we receive about dental emergencies in Carrollton. If you don’t see the information that you’re looking for below, don’t worry. Just give us a call, and we can answer your questions and schedule you for an urgent appointment.
Will my toothache go away on its own?
In the vast majority of cases, toothaches do not vanish on their own. You should absolutely schedule an appointment with a dentist to have it looked at, as there are all sorts of reasons why you could be experiencing tooth pain. This way, underlying problems can be caught before becoming more serious and cause further issues.
How should I sleep with tooth pain?
When dealing with a toothache at night, it can be difficult to get some quality sleep until you are able to head to the dental office. Try to keep your head elevated. This will prevent blood from rushing to your head and intensifying your toothache. Additionally, take over-the-counter pain relievers as needed, and avoid foods that are particularly cold, acidic, or hard before bed. A cold compress may also help to dull some of the discomfort you’re experiencing.
What does throbbing tooth pain mean?
Throbbing tooth pain often is a sign of infection or inflammation within the tooth. Cavities and cracks in the tooth can allow air and bacteria to reach the sensitive inner area where the pulp is located. This results in irritation and potentially an infection of the pulp nerves, therefore causing pain. This can also occur if decay is present. In other cases, throbbing tooth pain could be caused by chronic teeth grinding and clenching.
My chipped tooth doesn’t hurt. Do I still need to visit?
You should always schedule an appointment with a dentist following a chipped tooth, even if you aren’t experiencing any discomfort. While you don’t feel pain, you won’t know for sure if the inner area of the tooth is exposed until a dentist examines it. Chipped teeth can also break further without treatment. Fortunately, you don’t need to immediately drop everything you’re doing and head to the dental office. Just give us a call in the next couple of days so we can schedule you for an urgent visit.
Should I go to the ER or dentist for dental emergencies?
When an emergency strikes, your instinct might be to go to the closest hospital, but that may not be the best decision. Although the emergency room can save your life, it may not be the place to save your smile. While they can prescribe pain relievers and antibiotics, they aren’t equipped to treat dental issues. Unless you have a medical problem that needs attention, like lacerations or fractures, it’s better to contact your emergency dentist in Carrollton, Dr. Devarakonda.
Do chipped teeth heal on their own?
Your teeth are protected by the hardest substance in your body. While enamel is very strong, it isn’t indestructible. Unlike other tissues, it can’t regenerate. Once it is gone, you’ve lost it for good. Therefore, even the smallest chips won’t heal on their own. Your tooth may remineralize, but that isn’t the same as your tooth “growing back.” No matter how insignificant damage to your enamel appears, it’s always best to see your dentist to ensure your teeth are protected.
Are knocked-out baby teeth a dental emergency?
Baby teeth are only in place for a few short years, but losing one too soon can cause lasting consequences for your child. They act as placeholders for the adult teeth while also allowing them to develop the oral functions necessary for eating and speaking. If a primary tooth is displaced, you need a dentist who can handle the dental emergency in Carrollton to avoid potential complications, like the adult tooth erupting too soon.
Can I use superglue to fix broken dentures?
Superglue can be a quick fix for many items in your home, like coffee mugs. Although it’s handy, you don’t want to use it to fix broken dentures. The chemicals in the glue can be toxic or cause allergic reactions in some patients. It can also change the way your foods tastes. Superglue also doesn’t do well in damp environments, like your mouth, so the hold won’t last for long. It’s best to leave the repairs to the professionals. We know you can’t go without your teeth, so we’ll get you into the office quickly for repairs or a replacement. If you’re unsure what to do in the meantime, contact our office for further instructions. We may advise you to stop wearing your dentures until after they have been fixed.
Can I pop a dental abscess on my own?
Although a dental abscess may look like a giant pimple, resist the urge to pop it. Draining an abscess at home will expose your mouth to more bacteria that can lead to bigger problems. Don’t wait for the abscess to drain on its own, either. The infection can spread from the mouth to other areas, like the neck, throat, or head, causing potentially life-threatening complications. Instead, visit an emergency dentist right away to treat the infection while finding the source of the problem to support a healthy mouth and body.
Is my toothache a dental emergency? While all dental pain should be looked at in a timely manner, most toothaches are not a dental emergency. However, your tooth pain may require immediate attention if:
The pain is severe, disruptive, or lasts longer than 24 hours
There’s a small, pimple-like bump on the gums near the painful tooth
You experience sharp pain when biting down or opening your mouth wide
The painful tooth looks discolored or darker than the surrounding teeth
You’re experiencing symptoms of a serious infection, such as swelling, fatigue, or fever
How you should handle a toothache: If you experience any of the above symptoms or are otherwise worried about your toothache, give us a call so we can provide first-aid instructions over the phone. Depending on your symptoms, we may instruct you to floss around the painful tooth or rinse your mouth out with salt water. You may also apply an ice pack or cold compress to ease swelling and take over-the-counter pain relievers to control the discomfort until you can reach us.
How we treat toothaches: How we treat your toothache will depend entirely on what’s causing it. After all, toothaches can be caused by cavities, gum disease, enamel damage, an infection, or many other issues, all of which need different treatments. Our most common toothache treatments include fillings, dental crowns, root canal therapy, and tooth extractions. Once we’ve evaluated your toothache, we’ll be able to recommend which service is best for your unique situation.
Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency? While most chipped teeth can wait a few days for treatment if needed, it’s important that they are addressed quickly. A chip in the enamel weakens the whole structure of a tooth, leaving it vulnerable to more severe damage and potentially infection.
How you should handle a chipped tooth: If you can, collect any large pieces of your tooth and keep them in a clean container to bring with you to your appointment. Then, rinse your mouth out with water to clear away bacteria and any lingering fragments of your tooth. Don’t bite into anything or chew with your chipped tooth. You can cover the chipped tooth in dental wax or sugarless gum to minimize sensitivity or protect your soft tissues from any sharp edges.
How we treat chipped teeth: Most chipped teeth can quickly and easily be repaired with cosmetic dental bonding. This strong tooth-colored composite resin will be used to fill in the damage area, making the tooth look like it was never chipped to begin with. However, if you’ve chipped a highly visible front tooth, you may want to consider dental veneers for optimal aesthetics.
Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency? Cracked teeth cannot heal themselves, so they need to be treated right away to protect the injured tooth from infection and further damage. Remember, cracks are not always visible. If you notice dental pain or sensitivity sometime after taking a blow to the face, you may have a crack in your tooth that you can’t see.
How you should handle a cracked tooth: Once you’ve scheduled your appointment with us, rinse your mouth out with water to clear away bacteria. If needed, you can apply an ice pack or take over-the-counter pain relievers to manage pain and swelling. Don’t eat anything besides very soft foods and don’t chew on the injured side of your mouth.
How we treat cracked teeth: To improve the strength and appearance of cracked teeth, we usually use a custom-made porcelain dental crown. If the damage is minor, we may be able to simply fill in the area with cosmetic dental bonding. However, if the tooth is too broken or fracture to be repaired, we may need to remove it and discuss tooth replacement options like dental implants.
Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency?: Mild sensitivity might be caused by over-aggressive brushing, a highly acidic diet, or grinding of the teeth. This type of sensitivity usually isn’t an emergency, although it should be addressed. On the other hand, if you experience severe or long-lasting sensitivity, it might mean that you have a damaged tooth, a deep cavity, gum disease, or a tooth abscess; you should see us right away so that we can narrow down the cause.
How you should handle very sensitive teeth: Call our office and describe your symptoms so that we can give you tips for managing the discomfort. Try to avoid spicy, acidic, or sweet foods that can cause pain in sensitive teeth. Rinse with warm water and keep the mouth clean. In many cases, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce discomfort.
How we treat very sensitive teeth: If the sensitivity is caused by weakened enamel, we may prescribe desensitizing toothpaste or prescription mouthwash, or we might perform a topical fluoride treatment. For more serious causes of sensitivity, fillings, gum disease treatment, root canal therapy, and other procedures might be required.
Is my knocked out tooth a dental emergency?: A knocked out tooth is always an emergency. It can occur as a result of a blow to the face or head, whether that means a serious accident or something as simple as tripping and falling in the wrong way. It is sometimes possible to save the tooth, but there isn’t much time to do so. Thus, it’s imperative that you act quickly as soon as you realize that a tooth has been lost. Call our office immediately to make an emergency appointment, and make every effort to get to our office within an hour or two of the initial trauma.
How you should handle a knocked out tooth: Only touch the crown; avoid contact with the root. The tooth should be kept moist at all times. Try to put it back in its socket, or keep it in the space between your cheek and gums. You might also use milk or a tooth preservation product accepted by the ADA. Plain water is not a good option due to the potential damage to the roots.
How we treat knocked out teeth: As long as the tooth is still alive, a reimplantation can be attempted. That said, if it’s not possible to salvage the tooth, you can have it replaced with a dental bridge, a denture, or a dental implant; different options are available depending on the circumstances of tooth loss.
Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency?: It’s not unusual for old restorations to eventually break or fall out. As durable as they are, they aren’t meant to last forever. Losing a restoration isn’t necessarily an urgent problem, but you don’t want to leave the tooth exposed for too long, so call us right away for help.
How you should handle a lost filling or crown: Keep the restoration so that we can determine whether or not it’s viable to reuse it. Sometimes a lost crown can be reattached to the tooth. Gargle with salt water, and floss around the tooth to remove food debris. Be gentle with the tooth, and avoid chewing with it until it has been treated.
How we treat lost fillings or crowns: If the restoration is still intact and has simply become loose, all we need to do is reattach it with an appropriate adhesive. We can also give you a new filling or crown if the original restoration has been lost or if it’s too damaged or weak to be worth saving.
Is my broken denture a dental emergency?: Wearing a denture that has been cracked or broken can hurt your gums as well as other structures in your mouth. Call us right away so that we can evaluate the extent of the damage.
How you should handle a broken denture: Do not try to fix your dentures yourself; you could end up causing further damage without meaning to. A denture repair kit may work as a temporary measure, but you’ll need a professional’s help if you want a long-term solution.
How we treat broken dentures: It depends on how bad the damage is. Sometimes the dentures can be repaired, sometimes they’ll have to be readjusted, and sometimes they may need to be replaced altogether. When getting a new denture, you may want to take advantage of the opportunity to ask about dental implants.
Is a loose permanent tooth a dental emergency?: Permanent teeth should never come loose. Even if you don’t feel any pain, your tooth could be in danger of falling out if you don’t do anything. Hence, always treat a loose tooth as an emergency.
How you should handle loose permanent teeth: Call for an appointment immediately. Until you’ve been treated, you should avoid using the tooth for biting and chewing. Maintain a diet of soft foods in the meantime. Avoid touching the tooth at all costs.
How we treat loose permanent teeth: It might be possible to save a loose tooth in certain situations, but if not, we may have to extract it and replace it with a bridge or dental implant. We generally recommend implants because of the numerous benefits they have to offer.
Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency?: It’s very common to see cuts in the mouth if you play any kind of sport. This type of injury can cause a lot of bleeding, but in many cases we should be able to help deal with the problem.
How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: First, use warm water to clean the affected area. Then take a clean washcloth or piece of gauze and press down on the wound. An ice pack can be used to reduce any swelling.
How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: We can clean your mouth and close the wound with stitches if we determine that it’s necessary. In severe cases where bleeding doesn’t stop within 10 minutes, call the local emergency room.
Is jaw pain a dental emergency?: Persistent jaw pain may not require immediate attention, but it can get in the way of your everyday life, and sooner or later it might lead to a serious oral health problem. Make an appointment with us as soon as you can so that we can diagnose your pain properly.
How you should handle jaw pain: Taking over the counter pain relievers and applying an ice pack to the area can help. You should call the emergency room if you have a broken or dislocated jaw; we can help you deal with any dental issues afterwards.
How we treat jaw pain: You may be grinding your teeth at night, so we can give you a nightguard to protect your teeth and ease your pain. Your pain might also be linked to impacted wisdom teeth, in which case an extraction is needed.
You can remove food and other debris from your teeth by yourself, but it’s important to be careful while doing so. Do not use tweezers, toothpicks, or similar tools to try and force the debris out; you could end up injuring the soft tissues in your mouth by accident. Instead, you can floss between the teeth and rinse with salt water to gently remove the debris. If you can’t remove the object on your own, don’t try to force it; call us for help so that we can examine the area and come up with a way to get rid of the object without damaging your teeth.
