After a long, stressful day, you’re unwinding with a bowl of popcorn and a feel-good movie when suddenly, ouch! You bite down hard on an unpopped kernel. As waves of pain shoot through your mouth, you look in the mirror to discover your tooth is cracked. What should you do next? Keep reading to find out whether you need urgent dental care and how to find an emergency dentist in Mesquite when you need one ASAP!
Do You Have a True Dental Emergency?
Before you reach for the phone, it’s important to know what constitutes a true dental emergency. While all dental injuries require treatment from a dentist, some situations are more urgent than others. A knocked-out tooth, for instance, should be addressed within an hour of the incident, while a cracked or broken tooth should ideally be treated on the same day. A lost dental crown, on the other hand, can usually wait a day or two.
One important thing to note is that if your dental injury causes symptoms that could potentially threaten your life (like a fractured jaw, profuse bleeding, or difficulty breathing), then make a beeline for the nearest emergency room. After the immediate problem is taken care of, then you can call your dentist to see if you need any further treatment.
Tips for Finding an Emergency Dentist
Dealing with a dental emergency in Mesquite can be scary. To save you some stress, here are some tips for finding an emergency dentist quickly:
- Call your dentist – Even if your emergency occurs outside of regular business hours, most dental practices have specific instructions on their voicemail for handling emergencies.
- Look on Google – Doing a Google search for “emergency dentist near me” will bring you several pages of local dentists who have helped countless patients with situations like yours.
- Try the ADA’s dentist locator tool – If you experience a dental emergency when you’re out of town, the American Dental Association’s website has a tool that can help you find a certified dentist near you.
- Visit your local ER – If you simply can’t find a dentist and are in extreme pain, consider heading to a nearby ER. While they most likely won’t have a licensed dental professional on staff, they can help you manage the pain in the meantime and make sure you have no other complications (like a broken jawbone).
Dental emergencies are often anxiety-inducing and painful. Luckily, the tips listed above can save you valuable time when you need it most!
About the Practice
At Texas Dentistry, our team goes above and beyond to help families in the Mesquite, TX community feel safe and welcome while receiving the care their smiles need. We offer same-day appointments to patients with dental emergencies, as well as convenient evening hours. Our Terrell location is even open on Saturdays! If you need an emergency dentist in Mesquite ASAP, don’t hesitate to contact our office at 972-329-4200.