Sometimes emergencies happen, and Riverwalk Dental is here to help.
If you are experiencing a dental emergency, please call Riverwalk Dental right away at (403) 456-4994. We will do our best to get you in for an emergency dental appointment as soon as possible.
Some dental emergencies happen more frequently than others. To help you preserve your health and your smile here is a list of common emergencies and their appropriate first aid strategies.
Broken or chipped teeth can almost always be saved or repaired. Still, it is crucial to call your dentist as soon as possible for an emergency appointment so they can help ensure the chip or break doesn’t become worse.
If you have experienced a small break, your dentist may give you a white filling to fix the tooth. If the break is severe, you may require a root canal, to clear away any bacteria or damaged tissue, and a crown to protect the site and prevent further damage.
Call your dental office for an emergency appointment and explain your symptoms. Until your dentist can determine what is causing your toothache the best you can do is ease your pain. Over the counter pain medication can help you manage your pain, but make sure you don’t put the pills directly on your sore tooth. An ice pack, held against the part of your face where the sore tooth is, can also help.
Do not apply heat to your face or jaw. When it comes to toothaches heat typically makes the situation worse, not better.
Losing a permanent, or adult, tooth is serious, but if you act quickly, your dentist may be able to save your tooth and put it back in.
If your tooth looks clean, gently place it back in its socket. If you can’t return your tooth to its socket, or you are concerned about swallowing it, place your tooth in a small container of cold milk and call your dentist.
If your dentist can put your tooth back in within 10 minutes, your tooth will likely be able to take root again. However, with each passing minute the chances of your tooth being salvaged drops. If it has been two hours or more, your chances are poor.
Even if your tooth is not able to be saved, you should still see your dentist. The socket will need to be inspected and cleaned to avoid further complications or infections.
Lost fillings will need to be replaced. Place a small piece of sugarless gum over the spot where your filling was. This will protect the site for a short period of time until you can get to the dentist’s office.
If you are bleeding, take a clean cloth and press down firmly on the site of the bleeding to stem the flow. If your lip is swollen, you can also use an icepack to help keep the swelling down.
If you are bleeding profusely, or the bleeding does not appear to be stopping, proceed to the nearest emergency room.
Your first course of action is to try and gently dislodge the item using dental floss. Do not poke between your teeth with a pin, toothpick, or similarly sharp or pointed object. This can damage your gums or scratch the surface of your tooth. If you are unable to safely dislodge the object on your own contact your dentist’s office.
Regardless of what your dental emergency is the first thing you should do is call Riverwalk Dental at (403) 456-4994. Even a seemingly minor problem can have serious consequences for your oral health, and if your problem is not properly addressed, it may leave you vulnerable to infection or more serious dental issues.
We are conveniently located in Calgary’s East Village! Street parking is available out front, and our team will happily cover the costs of your parking, talk to our team for more information.