Emergency Dentist FAQ's
If you are a current patient and have a true dental emergency after hours, Dr. Eunson can be reached by calling us at 610-558-1977 and pressing 2.
Your call will be returned personally and promptly by Dr. Eunson (usually within an hour.) Please be sure that you DO NOT block caller ID when you are awaiting a return phone call. Any true dental emergency, like an injury to the teeth or gums, can be potentially serious and should NOT be ignored. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment later. We also offer help paying for dental emergencies with our Dental Savings Plan, click on the link below for more details.  We want you to enjoy a happy, beautiful smile your entire life. Call our friendly staff today to schedule your visit: 610.558.1977.
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Tooth ache
First, thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water. Use dental floss to remove any lodged food. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or cheek. NEVER put aspirin any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. Call the office as soon as possible. For temporary pain relief, Ibuprophen or Tylenol is recommended.
Chipped or broken teeth
Save any pieces. Rinse the mouth using warm water; rinse any broken pieces. If there's bleeding, apply a piece of gauze to the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth, cheek, or lip near the broken/chipped tooth to keep any swelling down and relieve pain. Call the office as soon as possible.
Knocked-out tooth
Retrieve the tooth, hold it by the crown (the part that is usually exposed in the mouth), and rinse off the tooth root with water if it's dirty. Do NOT scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. Do NOT clean it with bleach or any other chemical cleaner. If possible, try to put the tooth back in place. Make sure it's facing the right way. Never force it into the socket. If it's not possible to reinsert the tooth in the socket, put the tooth in a small container of whole milk (or cup of water that contains a pinch of table salt, if milk is not available) or a product containing cell growth medium, such as Save-a-Tooth. In all cases, see your dentist as quickly as possible. Knocked out teeth with the highest chances of being saved are those seen by the dentist and returned to their socket within 1 hour of being knocked out. Call the office or go to the Emergency Room for the best chance to save the tooth.
Objects caught between teeth
First, try using dental floss to very gently and carefully remove the object. If you can't get the object out, call the office to make an appointment. Never use a pin or other sharp object to poke at the stuck object. These instruments can cut your gums or scratch your tooth surface.
Lost filling
As a temporary measure, stick a piece of sugarless gum into the cavity (NOT sugar-filled gum since it will cause pain) or use over-the-counter dental cement which can usually be found at your local pharmacy. Call the office as soon as possible.
Lost crown or bridge
If the crown falls off, make an appointment as soon as possible and bring the crown with you. If you can't get to the dentist right away and the tooth is causing pain, use a cotton swab to apply a little clove oil to the sensitive area (clove oil can be purchased at your local drug store or in the spice aisle of your grocery store). If possible, slip the crown back over the tooth. Before doing so, coat the inner surface with an over-the-counter dental cement, toothpaste, or denture adhesive, to help hold the crown in place. Do not use super glue! It is not advisable to sleep with the crown in your mouth while using one of these temporary measures since you may swallow it by accident. Call the office to make an appointment.
Abscess
Abscesses are infections that occur around the root of a tooth or in the space between the teeth and gums. Abscesses are a serious condition that can damage tissue and surrounding teeth, with the infection possibly spreading to other parts of the body if left untreated. Serious oral health and general health problems can result from an abscess. See a dentist as soon as possible if you discover a pimple-like swelling on your gum that usually is painful. In the meantime, to ease the pain and draw the pus toward the surface, try rinsing your mouth with a mild salt water solution (1 teaspoon of table salt per 8 oz. of water) several times a day.
Soft-tissue injuries
Injuring or biting the tongue, cheeks, gums, and lips, can result in bleeding. To control the bleeding,
- Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution. (1 teaspoon salt per 8 oz warm water.)
- Use a piece of gauze or slightly moistened tea bag to apply pressure to the bleeding site. Hold in place for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not continuously check the area but instead apply constant, firm gentle pressure.
- To both control bleeding and relieve pain, firmly hold a cold compress (ex. A bag of ice or frozen vegetables covered with a thin cloth) to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.
- If the bleeding doesn't stop, go to a hospital emergency room immediately. Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be seen and treated.
Canker Sores
Canker sores are red, shallow, painful sores that sometimes have a white coating. They can be relieved by using over the counter medication (ex Orajel) purchased at your local pharmacy or grocery store. If you have a sore that persists for more than a week, call the office for an appointment.
