(410) 939-5800
If you have been avoiding a trip to the dentist, a dental emergency such as pain and broken teeth will very likely cause you to pick up the phone for an appointment to receive treatment and relief from discomfort.
A painful tooth is most commonly caused by an untreated cavity that has infected the tiny nerves and blood vessels surrounding the tooth. The tooth may be sensitive to cold and hot foods or beverages, to biting down, or may hurt all the time.
If it is not possible to see a dentist immediately, because you are away from home or have important commitments to meet, call your dentist for advice and have him or her suggest the dosage of an over-the-counter pain medication such as Ibuprophen, Aleve, or Tylenol to help you cope with your pain temporarily. The sooner you can see a dentist, the better, because generally, the more pain you experience the more difficult it is for the dentist to treat you comfortably.
Broken teeth are another reason people have to seek a dental appointment.
Teeth can break for many different reasons: eating hard foods such as nuts or chewing on ice, a cavity may have weakened a tooth to cause it to break, or trauma from an accident may break a tooth.
If you cannot see a dentist right away, avoid chewing on the side of the mouth with the broken tooth, and eliminate hot and cold foods and beverages. If there is a sharp edge of the tooth irritating your cheek or gums, put a small piece of sugarless bubble gum over it.
Your dentist should repair broken teeth as soon as possible, whether you are experiencing pain or not, because broken teeth are highly susceptible to cavities causing deeper infections. Once this has occurred, your tooth may require root canal therapy to be saved or, if treatment is delayed, will need to be extracted.
Dr. Grubb’s office is compassionate about patients experiencing dental pain, and will offer an appointment for pain relief the same day, when requested in the morning.
If you are experiencing dental pain, please don’t delay and call 410-939-5800 for an appointment. You’ll be glad you did!