Calling the dentist in an emergency can be stressful, and it is important to know when to call our office. At Smile Design, we offer same day or next day appointments to address any emergency situations for our patients.
It is important to know the signs or symptoms that may tell you that you need to contact us. Any pain or discomfort that is dismissed or not addressed can make a bad situation worse, and additional problems can arise.
The quicker you make an appointment in our office, the faster we can help you recover and prevent future issues.
Dental emergencies include any problems that may require immediate attention. Some examples include saving a tooth, infections, and alleviating pain. Infections can be life-threatening and should be addressed right away.
Signs or symptoms of a dental emergency:
- Abscess or infection
- Bleeding or irritated gums
- Prolonged sensitivity to hot or cold
- Any tooth pain that is persistent and does not go away
- Mouth or lip sores that will not go away
- Jaw pain, clicking, or popping
- Change in tooth color, or spots that have formed on the tooth’s surface
- Loose teeth
If you experience any of the above symptoms, please do not hesitate to call our office. Any pain or trauma is a good reason to call so we can evaluate the issue. Our team at Smile Design is highly trained to handle any dental emergency. We are happy to assist our patients in any way we can.
Call Smile Design today to schedule your appointment, and let us help get you.
What Counts as a True Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is any problem that needs prompt care to relieve severe pain, stop bleeding, save a tooth, or treat an infection. The clearest examples are:
- A knocked-out (avulsed) permanent tooth — the single most time-sensitive dental problem there is
- A dental abscess — a pimple-like bump on the gum, facial swelling, fever, or a bad taste that keeps coming back
- Severe, persistent toothache that wakes you at night or does not respond to over-the-counter pain relief
- A cracked, split, or badly broken tooth, especially with pain or a visible pink or red centre
- Bleeding that will not stop after an extraction or an injury
- A lost crown, filling, or broken denture that leaves a sharp edge or exposed nerve
- Injury to the jaw, lips, or tongue from a fall or sports impact
What to Do Before You Reach Our Office
What you do in the first hour often decides whether a tooth can be saved.
- Knocked-out tooth: pick it up by the crown — the chewing surface — and never touch the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly with milk or water without scrubbing. If you can, place it back in the socket and bite gently on clean gauze. If you cannot, keep it in milk or saline. Call us immediately; a tooth reimplanted within about an hour has the best chance.
- Broken or chipped tooth: rinse with warm water, save any fragments, and use a cold compress on the outside of the cheek to limit swelling.
- Toothache: rinse with warm salt water and floss gently to dislodge trapped food. Never place aspirin directly against the gum — it burns the tissue.
- Bleeding: apply firm pressure with clean, damp gauze for 15 minutes without lifting to check.
- Lost crown or filling: keep the crown, and avoid chewing on that side until we can re-cement it.
When to Go to the Emergency Room Instead
Some situations need a hospital rather than a dental office. Go to the emergency room right away if you have swelling that is spreading toward your eye or down your neck, difficulty breathing or swallowing, bleeding that will not slow with sustained pressure, or a suspected broken jaw or a head injury from the same accident. Dental infections can spread, and these signs mean the infection or injury has moved beyond what a dental chair can safely handle.
What Is Usually Not an Emergency
Not everything that hurts needs a same-day visit. A dull ache that comes and goes, mild sensitivity to cold, a small chip with no pain, or a lost filling that is not sharp can usually wait for a regular appointment. Booking promptly still matters — small problems are cheaper and simpler to fix than the emergencies they eventually become.
Same-Day Emergency Dental Care in Durham, NC
Smile Design Modern Dentistry keeps time open for urgent problems and serves Durham along with Chapel Hill, Cary, Brier Creek, and Raleigh. If you are not sure whether what you are experiencing counts as an emergency, call us and describe it — we would far rather triage it over the phone than have you wait.
Call Smile Design Modern Dentistry at (919) 220-5505.