Emergency Dentistry – Bowie, MD

Immediate Care is Just a Call Away

woman with in need of emergency dentistry holding cheek

For medical emergencies, it’s best to dial 911, but when it comes to severe pain or an injury that involves your teeth, it’s much wiser to go ahead and contact Ambiance Dental Spa. Our team is better equipped to handle urgent dental issues, and we’ll likely be able to see you way faster than the ER. In fact, we’re often able to schedule same-day appointments so patients can get the relief they need without delay thanks to emergency dentistry in Bowie, MD.

Why Choose Ambiance Dental Spa for Emergency Dentistry?

Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
Able to Help Children, Adults, & Seniors
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How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies

woman holding cheek in need of emergency dental care

While it’s easy to panic in the midst of a dental emergency, you should simply take a breath, calm yourself, and call our dental office. Explain your situation, and we’ll let you know exactly what to do next. This may involve applying first-aid and/or coming to see us right away. Before you’re able to reach our dental office, here are a few ways to take control of the most common dental emergencies:

Toothaches

A toothache can be the result of a cavity, crack in the enamel, or just a piece of food being stuck between the teeth. After rinsing and flossing around the tooth, if this doesn’t help, go ahead and take an OTC medication. Be sure to act quickly at the first sign of persistent dental pain, as waiting will make it more likely that you’ll need a root canal to fix the problem.

Learn About Root Canals

Chipped/Broken Tooth

Recover as many pieces of the tooth that you can, place them in a safe container, and remember to bring them to our dental office. Use a cold compress to manage any pain or swelling. Most of the time, we can save a broken tooth by covering it with a dental crown, but if the enamel is too forgone, we may need to perform an extraction.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Find the tooth, pick it up while not touching the root, and gently rinse it with some water. Try to place it back into the socket, and come see us as quickly as possible. If the tooth won’t stay in place, hold it between the cheek and gums or store it with milk or saltwater—it’s important that it stays wet to keep it alive! This will allow us to reattach it.

Lost Filling/Crown

Rinse off the restoration and attempt to place it back onto your tooth. A small dab of toothpaste can help with this. Avoid chewing with that part of your mouth until we can see you, and if any pain develops, take an OTC medication.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

woman smiling over shoulder after emergency dentistry

We’d rather you avoid dental emergencies altogether, and the following tips will help you do just that:

Enjoy playing sports? Great! Just make sure you protect your teeth with a mouthguard every time.
Don’t wear down your teeth by chewing on hard items like ice, popcorn kernels, pens, pencils, fingernails, etc.
Can’t get a package open? Be sure to grab the scissors before resorting to using your teeth.
Brush and floss every day and get dental checkups every six months. These practices will stop those small problems that can turn into big emergencies if ignored.

The Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies

woman concered with pain during emergency dental exam

Every single dental emergency we see is slightly different, which means the treatment is always unique as well. Whatever your situation might be, however, acting quickly and seeking out care immediately is always better than simply trying to “tough out” a problem. This will only allow an issue to become worse and increase the chance that an expensive procedure will be needed to fix it. To help make emergency dental care more affordable, we’re happy to accept insurance, flexible financing is available, and we even have our own in-house savings plan.

Dental Emergency FAQs

Woman with toothache wonders if she should see her Bowie emergency dentist

If you or a loved one is experiencing painful or worrisome dental symptoms, immediate care is just a call away! We’re happy to answer any and all of your questions over the phone so you can get the direct answers for your personal situation as quickly as possible. We’ve also gathered some of the most common questions we get about emergency dental issues below so you can learn more.

Will My Toothache Go Away On Its Own?

Remember, unlike the rest of your body, your teeth can’t heal themselves. Once the enamel has been compromised or the inner chamber of the tooth has been infected, you need professional treatment. It may be tempting to take a “wait-and-see” approach to a toothache that isn’t severe, but this only gives it the chance to get worse. If you’ve been dealing with tooth pain for over 24 hours, or if the discomfort is distracting you from everyday life, it’s time to give us a call.

When Should I Visit the Emergency Room?

Most ERs aren’t fully equipped to handle a dental emergency and many don’t have a dentist on staff to perform dental treatments. Therefore, you’ll likely spend more time and money at the emergency room only to have them prescribe you painkillers or antibiotics and tell you to visit a dentist. Instead, call us first for the fast, specialized care that you need.

However, there are some situations that need to be stabilized at an ER before you see us, such as:

Dislocated, fractured, or broken jaw
Bleeding that hasn’t stopped after 10 minutes
Swelling in the mouth that interferes with swallowing or breathing

Do I Need a Root Canal for My Toothache?

Many patients with toothaches avoid seeking the care they need because they dread being told that they need a root canal. Firstly, it’s important to know that root canals aren’t scary or painful! Thanks to modern numbing medication and precise techniques, getting this tooth-saving treatment is typically no worse than getting a filling.

Secondly, toothaches can be caused by a wide range of issues. You may have a hidden crack in your tooth, or a cavity, or the earliest stages of gum disease. Alternatively, your wisdom teeth may be coming in, you may be grinding your teeth in your sleep, or you may have an infection. The only way to tell how to treat your toothache is to come in for an examination. Once we learn more about the source of your discomfort, we can provide the necessary treatment, which could entail anything from a filling or antibiotics to a crown or root canal therapy.

If your tooth hurts, don’t postpone seeking care because you’re worried about what the treatment might be. Doing so will only allow the problem to get worse, which could lead to more invasive and expensive treatments than if you had come to see us right away!

Is Emergency Dentistry Expensive?

Generally speaking, emergency dental exams don’t cost very much, and they’re much less expensive than an emergency medical exam! The overall cost of your dental emergency will depend largely on the treatment you need. Naturally services like a filling will cost less than a procedure like a tooth extraction. Once we’ve examined your smile, we’ll go over all your treatment options. You’ll always know the estimated cost of a treatment before we begin.

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