Dental Emergencies in Silver Spring

We always provide priority treatment for patients with dental emergencies. Do you need emergency dental care? Give us a call at 240-641-5828 and we will make arrangements to see you in our office as soon as possible. We offer evening and Saturday appointment times for your convenience.

Dental emergencies don’t always limit themselves to normal business hours. If our office is closed, give us a call and listen to the instructions provided on the recording. Leave us a message and one of our team members will return your call as soon as possible. If you are experiencing a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room for treatment.

First and foremost, if you are experiencing unbearable pain, it’s always an emergency. You should never feel like you have to suffer with a severe toothache while waiting days for an appointment. Bleeding that cannot be controlled, knocked out teeth, and broken teeth are also considered dental emergencies. If you’re experiencing any of these situations, contact our office for urgent dental care. Most common emergency is a displaced or fractured tooth. A tooth can fracture in a variety of different ways. There can be trauma where the tooth or teeth are displaced or knocked out, like falling off a bike or playing basketball, or a tooth can crack after a dental procedure—like a root canal.

Yes, knocked out teeth can be reinserted into the socket successfully, but the key is to get prompt treatment. It’s important not to touch the root of the tooth—instead, hold it by the crown. If there’s dust, dirt, or debris on the tooth, rinse it carefully with milk or saliva. You can attempt to reinsert the tooth yourself or place it in a small cup, cover it with milk or saliva, and bring it with you to your appointment and we will reinsert it for you. Once your tooth is back in the socket, we will stabilize it to encourage the gums to reattach.If you’re playing a contact sport (such as soccer, hockey, football or basketball), the best way to prevent traumatic injuries is to wear a custom-fitted mouth guard to significantly lower the risk of damaging your teeth from collisions or falls.

No, we do not charge any additional fees for emergency dental care at Artistic Family Dentistry. We are happy to see you as soon as we can and provide you with the care that you need. We also take most PPO insurances.

If your tooth pain is unbearable, it’s a sign that something serious is wrong. There are steps you can take to temporarily relieve or dull the pain, but the only solution is treating the underlying cause of the pain you’re experiencing. Call our office for an emergency dental visit. While waiting for your appointment, you can use over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, cold compresses, and numbing gels to alleviate some of the discomfort you’re feeling.

Another dental emergency can be when you have a type of serious oral infection. If there is swelling around your jawline or under your mouth, difficulty in breathing or swallowing, an infection has occurred. This situation requires emergency medical care as the bacteria from the infection can travel from the oral cavity to the heart.

Tooth abscesses are a sign of a severe dental infection. This infection can spread to other teeth, your gums, and the bone that holds your teeth in place. It can travel to other parts of the body, including the brain, spinal cord, and blood—this can be fatal. If you have a tooth abscess, prompt dental treatment can save your life.

Other infections can cause terrible pain to the point where it interferes with sleep even when being treated with over-the-counter pain medication. These would also qualify as a reason to see your dentist immediately. We recommend scheduling a dental appointment when the pain first start.