Toothaches, dental traumas, and other dental emergency in Los Angeles can be painful and scary. It is important to get examined and treated as soon as possible by a licensed dentist (and not by an assistant as it often happens at many of the Los Angeles 24/7 dental clinics). This can often mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth.
You don’t always have to make an appointment, be an established patient, or have dental insurance to get help with your dental emergency, although it certainly helps. River Dentistry’s dentists and staff will always do their best to alleviate your pain and provide the dental treatment you need.
However, if dental emergency in Los Angeles occurs when our office is closed, there are some things you can do at home to help with pain before you can come to see us.
Non-Traumatic Dental Emergency in Los Angeles
Toothaches
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 or any other solid painkiller against the gum near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. You can try to use an over-the-counter oral pain relief gel. Make an appointment to see us as soon as possible.
Stuck Objects
Try using dental floss to very gently and carefully remove the object. If you can’t get the object out, leave it be until you come to see us. Never use a pin or other sharp object to poke at the stuck object. These instruments can cut your gum or scratch your tooth enamel.
Lost Filling
As a temporary measure, stick a piece of sugarless gum into the cavity (sugar-filled gum will cause pain) or use an over-the-counter temporary dental cement you can buy in the nearest drugstore. Make an appointment to see us as soon as possible.
Lost Crown
If a dental crown comes off, make an appointment to see us as soon as possible and bring the crown with you. If you can’t get to see us right away and the tooth is causing pain, use a cotton swab to apply a little clove oil or over-the-counter oral pain relief gel to the sensitive area (both can be purchased at a local drugstore). If possible, slip the crown back over the tooth. Before doing so, coat the inner surface with an over-the-counter temporary dental cement, toothpaste, or denture adhesive to help hold the crown in place. Do not use glue.
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.
Because of the serious oral health and general health problems that can result from an abscess, come and see us right away 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 (1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water) several times a day.
If the pain doesn’t stop and you can’t come to see us right away, go to a hospital emergency room, where they can at least give or prescribe you antibiotics and painkillers until you can be seen and treated by a licensed dentist.
Traumatic Dental Emergency in Los Angeles
Chipped or Broken Tooth
Save any pieces. Rinse the mouth using warm water and 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 or chipped tooth to keep any swelling down and relieve pain. Come to see us or an emergency dentist 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. 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 milk, or cup of water that contains a pinch of table salt, or a product containing cell growth medium, such as Save-a-Tooth. In all cases, come to see us as quickly as possible. You can normally save your knocked out tooth if you see an emergency dentist and return it to its socket within an hour of being knocked-out.
Extruded or Partially Dislodged Tooth
Come to see us or an emergency dentist right away. Until you reach dental office, to relieve pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever (such as Tylenol or Advil) if needed.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Injuries to the soft tissues, which include the tongue, cheeks, gums, and lips, can result in bleeding. To control the bleeding, here’s what to do:
- Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution.
- Use a moistened piece of gauze or tea bag to apply pressure to the bleeding site.
- Hold in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
- To both control bleeding and relieve pain, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.
If the bleeding doesn’t stop, contact and come to see us right away or go to a hospital emergency room. Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be seen and treated by emergency dentist.
Dental Emergency in Los Angeles Help
Dental emergencies do not always occur at an ideal time of day (as if there was one), so your regular Downtown Los Angeles dentist may not be able to see you when you need him to.
River Dentistry is the only full-service and emergency dental office in Downtown Los Angeles. We provide affordable and painless emergency care in a relaxing, spa-like environment. We are open late, Saturdays and Mondays, and we always do our best to accommodate walk-ins. However, if you have a life-threatening or severe injury, please call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
Even if you do not have insurance, you can get urgent dental care and get diagnosed with our great $50 Dental ER special (a $150 value). First, one of our emergency dentist will evaluate your condition with a thorough dental exam and digital x-rays. Then, he or she will recommend a treatment and/or prescribe necessary medicine to temporary alleviate the pain and/or inflammation. We will also provide you a free estimate for the dental treatment you may need. To keep our prices low and to reserve your appointment time, we will ask for $50 payment when scheduling your appointment. You will get it back as credit towards any treatment you receive.
For more information about our Downtown Los Angeles Dental ER emergency dentist services and with any questions, please call us at 213-486-0006 or make your appointment online.
