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Don’t Put Off Your Dental Emergency!
When a dental emergency occurs, the last thing you should do is put off treatment. Unlike other areas of the body, that cracked tooth or oral infection is not going to get better with time. The only way to remove your discomfort or keep your natural tooth is by getting treatment by one of our dentists at Vanik Dental Group of Annapolis. Here, we can confirm the state of your oral health, get you out of pain, and create a treatment plan that works for you. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, we’ll do everything possible to get you in tto see our emergency dentist in Annapolis, MD, so don’t wait to call!
Why Choose Vanik Dental Group of Annapolis for Emergency Dentistry?
- Root Canal Therapy Performed In-House
- Relaxing and Accommodating Dental Office Environment
- Professional Dentists and Team Dedicated to Same-Day Care
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
Knowing what to do in a dental emergency can help you act quickly and correctly when it matters most. Here’s what you should do if you or a loved one is experiencing a dental emergency:
- Give us a call: Even if you’re unsure if your situation needs urgent dental care, give us a call right away. We’ll assess your situation over the phone and determine how soon you need to be treated. We can often see emergency patients the same day that they call. We’ll also provide first aid tips for handling your symptoms until you can reach our office.
- Receive a quick but thorough examination: Once you reach our office, we’ll perform a visual exam and take any necessary X-rays to get a better idea of the source and extent of the problem.
- Review your treatment options: Your Annapolis emergency dentist Dr. Neil Vanik will go over the findings with you and how they recommend treating your dental emergency. They’ll also go over the cost of treating your emergency as well as your payment options.
- Get the care you need: When you and your dentist have agreed on a treatment plan, we’ll get to work right away to preserve your smile and get you out of pain.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Oftentimes, people attempt to treat their dental emergencies at home. Unfortunately, many use unverified methods and techniques, which can easily make the situation worse! That’s why we encourage you to call us if you experience any of these common symptoms or warning signs of a dental emergency. Regardless of whether your problem needs urgent care or not, we’ll help you get your oral health back on track.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
When you come in for treatment, we’ll need to perform a detailed examination of your emergency and determine from there what the best treatment should be. Until that happens, it can be difficult to provide an exact cost. Minor issues may only need a dental filling, but more severe ones may require root canal therapy and a dental crown. Regardless of the cost, putting off treatment only increases the risk that you’ll need additional treatment to maintain your oral health. By getting care now, you avoid these additional expenses and discomfort.
What Factors Influence the Cost of Emergency Dental Care?
- Whether you have dental insurance or not: If you are enrolled in a dental insurance policy, your out of pocket expenses will likely be less if you see an in-network provider. If not, you will need to look at other options for payment.
- What type of restorative care you will need:Whether it is a dental crown, root canal, filling, or tooth extraction, each type of service varies with regard to coverage. While you may only pay 20-30% for a crown, you will likely need to pay more for a root canal (30-50%).
Financial Options Available
Dr. Vanik and his team are proud in-network providers for the following insurance companies:
- Delta Dental Premier
- Bluecross/Blueshield PPO/Traditional
- Connection
- Aetna
- GEHA
- Cigna
- Metlife
- Humana
- And many more!
Apart from our partnership with various dental insurance companies, we are also pleased to help our patients apply for CareCredit financing. This third-party financier makes it possible to enroll in a low-to-no-interest payment plan that will allow you to stay within your budget and still get the care you need.
Get a Personalized Estimate at Your Emergency Appointment
Your consultation with Dr. Vanik will set the stage for what you can expect regarding treatment and cost. After performing a thorough examination of your oral cavity and determining where the problem exists and its severity, he will formulate a treatment plan for you to review.
You’ll want to carefully consider the type of service you will be receiving and how much it will cost. If possible, Dr. Vanik may recommend a few viable options in case one is too costly of a venture for you at the current time. It is important to weigh all your options as well as the pros and cons of each. Even if you get a temporary fix right now, it could end up costing you more in the long run.
Our team is always here to help you better understand your options, alternatives, and cost. If you need assistance reaching out to your dental insurance company or navigating CareCredit, let us walk you through the process and help you get the answers you need.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Not every chipped, broken, or knocked-out tooth can be avoided sadly. However, there are plenty of things you can do to minimize your risk of a dental emergency. In fact, Nearly all of the most common dental emergencies can be avoided with a few simple precautions and healthy habits! Are you doing everything you can to keep your smile safe? Read on as we go over the five best ways to prevent a dental emergency in Annapolis.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Many oral health issues can develop without you seeing or feeling them at first, like cavities and gum disease. However, if left untreated, they can lead to serious toothaches, dental infections, and even tooth loss! That’s why you should come visit us for your dental checkups every six months, even if your teeth seem fine to you. We’ll be able to spot the earliest warning signs of problems and stop them before they have a chance to evolve into a dental emergency. Or, better yet, we can help you avoid these problems from beginning in the first place!
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home
The majority of Americans don’t clean their smiles as thoroughly as they should. Most only brush their teeth for 45-70 seconds and only a third of the population flosses every day. Unfortunately, half-hearted oral hygiene makes it all too easy for plaque and bacteria to build up in your mouth and cause damage. If you want to avoid toothaches and tooth decay, you should brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day and floss daily.
Be Careful With Your Diet
You already know that sweets and candy cause cavities, but did you know that sugar isn’t the only food that can harm your teeth? Carb-heavy foods like bread, crackers, and pasta fuel cavity-causing bacteria just as quickly. Plus, the acidic nature of beverages like soda, sports drinks, and energy drinks burn through your enamel very quickly. Instead, eat plenty of lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, and foods with vitamin C for a delicious and nutritious way to keep your smile safe.
Wear a Mouthguard
Do you play sports? A custom mouthguard is essential for not only protecting your teeth from outside forces, but also from crashing into themselves or your soft tissues. If you grind your teeth in your sleep, you’ll need a nightguard for bruxism. This condition exerts extra pressure on your teeth and wears them down over time, but a nightguard will keep your pearly whites safe while you sleep.
Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging
Teeth are extremely durable, but they aren’t indestructible. Every time you use them to open a container, rip off a price tag, hold your keys, or as any other household tool, you put them in danger. While these bad habits may seem to save you time, they could send you to our office with a chipped or broken tooth in the blink of an eye! The risk isn’t worth it, so always keep the appropriate tools somewhere easy to get to so you’re not tempted to use your smile.
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
As an emergency dentist, Dr. Vanik is always ready to see patients who are experiencing a dental crisis. Whether it is a knocked-out tooth, soft tissue injury, or a serious tooth infection, he and his team can provide the right method of treatment to ensure your oral health is not impacted on a long-term basis. But before a visual exam is performed or a treatment plan is created, he has opted to compile some frequently asked questions about dental emergencies to help give you additional insight on the topic.
What Should I Do If I Experience a Dental Emergency While on Vacation?
Dental emergencies don’t always happen when you’re minutes away from the dentist’s office. Should you find yourself out of town on vacation, you may want to find a local dental professional to address the problem. Depending on the severity, you might decide to wait until you return home, but if it’s an infection, knocked-out tooth, or you are in serious pain, it is best to call and alert our dental office of the situation while receiving help from a dentist nearby.
What Can I Do to Minimize Dental Pain?
How you manage your pain is dependent upon what is causing it to occur in the first place. If there is something lodged between your teeth, a quick yet gentle swipe with dental floss can usually take care of the problem. However, if the pain is deep down within a tooth or caused by something other than a stuck object, it is best to use an over-the-counter pain reliever and cold compress to reduce discomfort until you can reach our office
Will my toothache go away on its own?
Many people believe an occasional toothache is normal; however, it’s never a good sign. No one has time for an unplanned trip to an emergency dentist in Annapolis, but don’t wait to see if your toothache goes away. It’s unlikely it will resolve on its own. In fact, it will likely worsen. Several issues can cause a toothache, like decay, fractures, or an infection. It’s best to see a dental professional right away. Dr. Vanik will examine your smile to find the source of your discomfort to alleviate your pain and prevent the problem from worsening.
How should I sleep with tooth pain?
You don’t have to allow a toothache to keep you awake at night. You can prevent throbbing discomfort by sleeping with your head elevated. The position stops the blood from pooling in your head, which can increase your pain. It’s also best to skip acidic, cold, or hard foods before going to bed. You can take an OTC pain reliever to manage your discomfort throughout the night. Applying a cold compress to the outside of your face can help numb the area.
Do chipped teeth heal?
Enamel is the hardest substance in the body, but it isn’t unbreakable. Unfortunately, enamel doesn’t regenerate. Some teeth can remineralize; however, enamel will never grow back. Even if the damage seems minor, don’t wait to see a dentist for chips and cracks. Your tooth will be vulnerable to bacteria, decay, and other complications if it isn’t repaired. If the chip is minor and isn’t causing any pain, you can often wait a day or two to see your dentist. If the inner layers of the tooth are exposed or you’re in significant pain, you need treatment right away.
Can I use superglue to fix a broken denture?
Nothing can throw a kink in your day more than breaking your dentures because you rely on them. Superglue may seem like a great idea if you need a quick fix, but your dentist will advise you to skip it. Superglue can be toxic and cause allergic reactions in some patients. It can also change the way your food tastes. Although it may repair your smile in a pinch, superglue doesn’t do well in damp environments, so it won’t last for too long. Instead, it’s best to leave the mending to the professionals. Dr. Vanik will provide the repair or replacement you need to restore your beautiful, functional smile.
Should knocked-out teeth be placed in water?
You should use water to rinse a tooth that has been knocked out of its socket. It’s best to put the tooth back in place, but if you’re not successful, don’t place it in water because it can damage the root surface cells. You can increase the odds of saving your tooth by placing it in saline solution or milk for no more than an hour. The sooner you get to your dentist, the better it is for your tooth.
Is My Tooth Pain from an Infection?
If your toothache could be described as throbbing pain, then there’s a chance that an infection is to blame. Additionally, you might have a dental infection if you notice a persistent foul taste in your mouth, bad breath that doesn’t respond to oral hygiene, swollen or red gums, extreme sensitivity, or a draining sore on the gums surrounding a tooth. Of course, even if you’re experiencing all or most of these symptoms, the only way to know for sure whether you have a tooth infection is to have Dr. Vanik take a look. After he has visually examined the area, captured detailed X-rays, and asked you about your symptoms, he can provide a precise diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
Should I Visit the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?
When a dental emergency in Annapolis occurs, your first thought might be to head straight to the emergency room. However, most ERs don’t keep dentists on staff. At best, their doctors might be able to prescribe pain medication or antibiotics, but they can’t address the root of the issue in the way that dentists can. In fact, they might end up referring you to a dentist anyway. If you visit Dr. Vanik from the start, you can save yourself a significant amount of time and money.
The only exception to this rule is if you’re experiencing a severe emergency that’s related to your mouth and needs immediate treatment. If you’re dealing with a dislocated or broken jaw, deep lacerations or cuts to the mouth, oral infection that causes fever, or swelling in your mouth or throat that interferes with breathing, go right to the ER first thing. After you’ve had the immediate problem treated, then you can call Dr. Vanik to see if you need any additional care.
Are Knocked-Out Baby Teeth a Dental Emergency?
Even though baby teeth are going to come out eventually, problems could develop if these teeth get knocked out before they’re ready. For instance, the permanent teeth can erupt too soon, or they might grow in at awkward angles that will necessitate orthodontic work later on. If your child’s baby tooth has been dislodged, do NOT try to put it back into the socket like you would do for a knocked-out adult tooth. Instead, contact our office right away to schedule an appointment for your little one. Locate the knocked-out tooth if you can and bring it with you. If your son or daughter is severely bleeding from their mouth, or if you suspect their jaw is damaged, then take them to the ER first.
Are Toothpicks Safe to Use?
If you have a piece of food or other object trapped in your teeth, a toothpick is NOT your best option. Toothpicks can have the opposite of their intended effect by pushing the debris even further down between the teeth or below the gums. Additionally, it’s all too easy to accidentally scratch your teeth or oral soft tissue and cause even more discomfort or even pain. With wooden toothpicks, a piece could break off inside of your mouth and you might even end up swallowing it, which could be fatal!
Instead of using a toothpick, try using dental floss and rinsing your mouth with saltwater. If that doesn’t dislodge the object, then call our office.