Emergency Dentistry – Harrisonburg, VA
Turn to Us for Emergency Dental Care
A dental emergency can strike anyone, at any time -- so, while you may brush and floss regularly, that does not mean you are completely safe from a toothache, broken tooth, or any other urgent situation. Dental emergencies typically occur as a result of long-term infections caused by poor oral hygiene or sudden physical injury. If a dental emergency strikes you in either circumstance, calling your family dentist in Harrisonburg should be #1 on your list!
Why Choose Harrisonburg Family and Cosmetic Dentistry for Emergency Dentistry?
- Wide Range of Restorative Dental Services
- Oral Conscious Sedation Available
- Team Approach to Dental Care
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
- Emergency Appointment: The first thing you should do when you have a dental emergency is call our office. We’ll ask questions about your situation, advise you on steps to take to manage it, and make arrangements to see you as soon as we can.
- Emergency Exam: When you arrive at our office, we’ll prioritize putting a stop to your pain while also performing a thorough examination of your mouth to identify the true cause of the problem. We can take X-rays if they’re deemed necessary.
- Review Findings: Upon completing our examination, we’ll discuss the results with you. We’ll consider your case carefully before we suggest the treatments that we believe are best suited for resolving the issue.
- Get the Care You Need: To restore the health of your smile, we will quickly carry out any procedures that have been deemed necessary, which could involve fillings, crowns, root canal treatments, and other procedures depending on the situation.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
If you are experiencing oral pain or bleeding, or if one of your teeth has been damaged, you are likely suffering from a dental emergency. If you’re not sure whether urgent care is needed, you can call our office to see what our team suggests. The following chart includes a number of all-too-common emergency dental situations.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
Whether you’re struggling with persistent dental sensitivity or a painful toothache, the best thing to do is schedule an emergency appointment so we can conduct an exam. After alleviating your discomfort, we can share our findings, make our recommendations, and provide you with an estimate of the price. As always, we’ll explain all of your financial options as well so you aren’t stressing about the cost during any step of the process.
Why No Two Dental Emergencies Are The Same
We mentioned above that the treatment needed for a dental emergency largely depends on the root of the problem. After all, the solution for a knocked-out tooth is very different than a relatively minor toothache. Plus, even if two patients come to our office with the same complaint, like a toothache, one might require root canal treatment and antibiotics and the next might need an extraction. In short, we need to consider unique factors like your dental history, symptoms, and smile goals before we can provide you with an accurate estimate of the price.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
If you have dental insurance, you’ll be happy to hear that you may have coverage! In fact, many dental plans cover 50% to 80% of the cost of essential restorative care. Of course, there are sometimes limitations, like waiting periods and annual maximums, which is why we always recommend taking a look at the fine print beforehand. If you need any help – whether it’s with understanding your benefits or filing the paperwork – don’t hesitate to let us know. We’d be happy to assist so that the process of utilizing your coverage is as stress-free and smooth as possible.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Don’t have dental insurance? Luckily, that doesn’t mean you’re simply left to pay for the entire cost of your emergency dental care in one lump sum. CareCredit is a trusted third-party financier that offers payment plans so you can space out the price into smaller, more manageable monthly chunks. Plus, they have so many options to choose from that preventive, restorative, cosmetic, and even emergency dentistry can fit into nearly every budget. If you’re interested in learning about the ins and outs of this financial solution, give us a call. Or, you can sign up through the “New Patients” page on our website!
How Taking Care Of Your Smile Can Save You Money
All too often, patients don’t think about the cost of emergency dentistry until it’s too late. However, there are several ways you can dramatically reduce your chances of experiencing a dental injury and, in turn, save money. The first is implementing a solid oral hygiene regimen, which includes brushing for a full two minutes and flossing every day. The second is coming in every six months for a dental checkup and teeth cleaning. The third is adopting healthy habits that will protect your teeth, like wearing a mouthguard during sports.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
By practicing preventive dentistry, you can avoid an overwhelming majority of dental emergencies. That’s why we share all of our tips and tricks for maintaining a healthy, happy smile with our patients! With this in mind, keep reading to learn a few of the ways you can help protect your teeth and gums from harm.
Visit Your Dentist Twice a Year
Biannual visits to our office for a checkup and cleaning are important for numerous reasons. To begin, they allow us to periodically complete an oral cancer screening as well as look for tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental damage. They also ensure that plaque and tartar are removed before they build-up to the point where they negatively impact your oral health. Simply put, if you want to keep your smile healthy, you need to visit us every six months!
Brush and Floss Consistently
In addition to coming to our office twice a year, you need to commit to a solid oral hygiene regimen at home. That includes brushing twice a day, flossing each evening, and rinsing with mouthwash daily. Together, these dental care habits will lower your risk of everything from cavities and damaged restorations to gum disease.
Note: It’s important to use the right oral care tools too. If you’re not sure where to begin, don’t hesitate to ask us!
Keep Added Sugar to a Minimum
Foods and drinks that are loaded with sugar may be delicious, but they can wreak havoc on your teeth and gums. For that reason, we recommend keeping these treats to a minimum. Instead, focus on adding nutrient-dense foods to your diet, including fresh fruits, lean proteins, and raw vegetables. This will help keep your jawbone strong, your teeth healthy, and your gums infection-free.
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
If your smile isn’t protected during sports, then you could wind up with a chipped, cracked, fractured, or even completely knocked-out tooth. That’s why it’s so important that you wear a mouthguard! We can have a custom one made for you so that it fits comfortably and is the appropriate thickness for the sport that you participate in.
Tip: You should also have a nightguard made if you clench or grind your teeth at night!
Quit Unhealthy Dental Habits
Do you bite your nails, chew on ice cubes, smoke, or open bottle caps with your teeth? If so, it’s important that you stop! These habits may not seem like a big deal, but they can lead to a serious dental injury relatively quickly. Simply put, if you want to reduce the risk of you needing to head to our office for same-day emergency care, avoid unhealthy habits like these.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Should I Visit the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?
Typically, hospitals don’t have dentists on staff. For that reason, we only recommend going to the ER if you are experiencing potentially life-threatening symptoms, like uncontrollable bleeding or trouble breathing. If your gums are bleeding when you floss, you’re struggling with persistent sensitivity, or you knocked out a tooth, then your first call should be to our team at Harrisonburg Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.
What Should I Keep in My Emergency Dentistry Kit?
In addition to having an easily accessible First Aid Kit, we recommend making a dental emergency kit. In it, include sterile gloves, a small container for knocked-out teeth or restorations, dental cement, and a topical anesthetic, such as Orajel. It’s also helpful to put a piece of paper with our phone number and address in your kit so you don’t experience any stress trying to find our contact information when you need it most.
How Should I Sleep with Tooth Pain?
Although we do our best to schedule same-day appointments for patients who are in pain, it isn’t always possible to get to our office right away. For example, if you are out of town for the weekend, then you need to know what you can do to sleep soundly in the meantime. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to alleviate the discomfort you’re experiencing temporarily, like avoiding spicy foods at dinner, taking OTC pain medication 30 minutes before bed, and keeping your head elevated while you sleep.
How Can a Dental Abscess Be Treated?
If there is a pimple-like bump on your gums, it’s crucial that you schedule an appointment with one of our experienced and caring emergency dentists in Pearland. The sooner you do, the sooner they can drain the abscess and provide any additional restorative care that’s needed to eliminate the infection, like a root canal.
Important reminder: Do NOT try to pop the dental abscess on your own. Not only will this not address the root of the problem, but it can also cause bacteria to spread throughout your mouth and throat.
Should I Worry About a Chipped Tooth If It Doesn’t Hurt?
We do recommend scheduling an appointment with us, even if you aren’t experiencing any sensitivity or discomfort. After all, there’s a chance that the tooth is at risk of breaking further. Once we complete a comprehensive oral exam, we can determine if that’s the case and, if it is, discuss your treatment options.
Will My Tooth Sensitivity Eventually Go Away on Its Own?
That depends on what’s causing it. For example, if you got a root canal a day or two ago, then dental sensitivity is to be expected. Of course, if you aren’t sure what the trigger is or your discomfort is progressively getting worse instead of better, then you shouldn’t assume that it will go away with time. Instead, you should schedule an appointment at our office so we can determine if an untreated oral health problem is to blame.
More to Explore
Preventive Dentistry Restorative Dentistry Cosmetic Dentistry Advanced Technology View All Our Services