Emergency Dentist – Longmeadow, MA

Timely Care for Sudden Dental Injuries

Woman holding her jaw in pain needing emergency dentist in Longmeadow

There is nothing worse than having to deal with tooth pain. No matter how long it lasts, it can be a miserable experience and one that we never want our patients to endure. But should a dental emergency occur, make sure to call our office right away. With same-day emergency appointments available, we will get you in right away to meet with our Flagship Dental Group team so that we can provide the help you need. No matter if it’s a knocked-out tooth, severe infection, or a lost dental filling, you can count on our emergency dentists in Longmeadow to be here for you.

Why Choose Flagship Dental Group for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointments Available
  • Three Types of Optimal Tooth Replacements
  • State-of-the-Art Dental Technology
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How We Treat Dental Emergencies

  • Call our office for an appointment – We offer same-day emergency appointments for those in need, so the moment a dental injury occurs, don’t hesitate to let us know. We’ll not only schedule a time for you to come in but also offer first-aid tips to help keep your smile protected while at home.
  • Undergo a thorough examination – You will meet with Dr. Kelliher or Dr. Foerster and undergo a thorough examination of your mouth. We’ll begin to help you out of any pain while determining the severity of your injury.
  • Analyze and compile findings – Once we have the proper images and notes, we’ll compile our findings and begin to analyze them before drawing up a treatment plan that we will go over with you.
  • Deliver timely care – Once you approve the treatment plan we provide, we’ll begin treating your injury so that you and your smile can be back to living your best life.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Our team is knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced in treating all types of dental emergencies, some of which are listed below. You may be unaware of how serious a dental injury might be, which is why you are encouraged to call us so that we can determine if you need to come in right away. Should you wish to learn more about ways to manage your pain and injury at home, review the following information.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

It is impossible for us to know how much your dental emergency treatment will cost unless you schedule an appointment with a member of our team. Using a series of factors to determine the type of care that is required as well as how much you can expect to pay for treatment, we will formulate an estimate that will allow you to better plan. We’ll work with your insurance company to maximize any benefits while also delivering options to help keep costs low if you do not have private dental insurance.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies cannot always be avoided, but you can be more mindful of what you eat, how you protect your teeth, your oral hygiene habits, whether you see your dentist, and how you use your teeth daily. If you want to make sure you aren’t spending your money on an emergency dental visit, keep these proactive steps in mind:

Brush and Floss Regularly

Man in blue shirt brushing his teeth in bathroom

In order to reduce your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, damaged restorations, and other common oral health problems, you need to commit to a solid oral hygiene regimen at home. First, brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste (for a full two minutes each time). Then, floss each morning or evening and use an ADA-approved mouthwash to flush out any remaining bacteria.

Visit Us Twice a Year for a Checkup and Cleaning

Dentist with blue gloves examining patient's teeth

It can be hard to clean the hard-to-reach areas of your mouth, and it’s possible for plaque and tartar to accumulate even if you are diligent about brushing and flossing. That’s why we recommend coming to our Longmeadow dental office every six months for a dental checkup and teeth cleaning. Our goal is to periodically examine your teeth and gums to make sure they are healthy and that we intervene with any restorative care that’s necessary right away.

Eat Foods That Are Rich in Nutrients

Woman preparing healthy salad in kitchen at home

In short, what you eat impacts your oral health. For that reason, we encourage our patients to opt for foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, not those full of sugars and starches. That way, the chances of cavities and other oral health problems developing are significantly lower. Plus, your body will have the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients it needs to function optimally, fighting off infections in the process.

Wear a Custom Mouthguard If You Play Sports

Closeup of patient holding clear mouthguard

If you participate in sports, like football, then you need a custom mouthguard. In fact, even patients who participate in activities like running, lifting weights, and skateboarding are encouraged to wear one so their teeth are protected.

Note: If you grind or clench your teeth when you’re stressed or while you sleep at night, then we also recommend wearing a mouthguard. If you’re unsure if you need one, then schedule an exam with us. We can take a look at your teeth and determine if there are signs of premature wear and tear.

Break Bad Habits

Closeup of patient biting their nails

Do you use your teeth to remove bottle caps? Do you tear open plastic wrapping with your teeth when you can’t find the scissors? Do you chew on ice, the back of your pen, or your fingernails? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you have some bad habits you need to break! After all, it only takes one time for your teeth to give instead of the object, leaving you with a seriously damaged tooth.

Toothaches  

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? It’s important not to dismiss a toothache. In fact, if you’re experiencing pain when biting down, one of your teeth is severely discolored, or there is a pimple-like bump on your gums, then there’s a chance that you need to visit our Longmeadow emergency dentist for treatment the very same day!

How You Should Handle a Toothache The worst thing you can do is ignore it. Once your symptoms have persisted for more than a few hours, contact us to get an appointment on the calendar. In the meantime, stick to softer, healthier foods (like oatmeal and scrambled eggs), drink plenty of water, use a cold compress, and, if needed, take OTC pain medication.

How We Treat Toothaches Toothaches can be treated with everything from tooth-colored fillings to root canals and dental crowns. That’s why we need to conduct a thorough exam when you first arrive for your appointment. Then, we’ll review our findings with you as well as our recommendations on how to restore your pain-free smile.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAME-DAY DENTAL CROWNS

Chipped Teeth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Since chipped teeth don’t heal on their own, calling our Longmeadow dental team should always be a priority. If the chip is large, you’re in pain, or the tooth is at-risk of breaking further, then we may even recommend coming to our office the very same day for treatment.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth First, use clean, lukewarm water to gently rinse your mouth, removing debris and any lingering shards of your tooth in the process. Second, use some sugar-free gum or dental wax to cover your tooth. Third, avoid chewing with that tooth to prevent further damage.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth If the chip is relatively minor, then cosmetic dental bonding may be an option. If, however, the damage is more substantial, then we may recommend veneers instead. Ultimately, it depends on your specific situation.

Cracked Tooth  

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, a cracked tooth is absolutely a dental emergency. After all, it doesn’t take much for the tooth to become infected or split further! To prevent that from happening, call our Longmeadow emergency dentist right away to get an appointment on the calendar.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth To protect your tooth from additional damage, we recommend avoiding hot and cold beverages as well as crunchy, acidic, spicy, and sugary foods. Furthermore, you should use a cold compress and take OTC pain medication as directed to alleviate any swelling and discomfort.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth Fortunately, we can often save a cracked tooth with a dental crown. If that isn’t possible because the damage is too severe, then we can gently remove the tooth before filling the empty space with a dental bridge or implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAME-DAY DENTAL CROWNS

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Very Sensitive Teeth  

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? If your dental sensitivity is persistent or it’s just one of the many abnormal dental symptoms you’re experiencing, then we do recommend giving us a call. Once we have a better idea of what your symptoms are (and how severe they are), we can determine if a same-day visit to our Longmeadow dental office is necessary.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth One of the first things we recommend doing is avoiding extremely hot and cold foods and beverages since they can exacerbate your discomfort. Instead, stick to room-temperature water, take an OTC pain reliever (if needed), and, of course, get an appointment with us on the calendar.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth Your dental sensitivity could be the result of everything from tooth decay to gum disease, which is why it’s so important that we conduct a thorough exam first. From there, we can determine what the root of the problem is as well as the best way to address it.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAME-DAY DENTAL CROWNS

Knocked-Out Tooth  

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Whether your tooth is slightly out of position or is completely knocked out, you need to call our Longmeadow dental team ASAP to schedule an appointment. That way, one of our dedicated dentists can complete an exam and determine what restorative care is needed right away.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth If you have your tooth, then you need to do what you can to preserve the root. We recommend either placing it in a clean container filled with milk or putting the tooth back in the socket (if it slides back into position without force). If you can’t find your tooth, then focus on what you can do, like getting to our office for the necessary care.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth Patients are often surprised to hear that we can save their knocked-out tooth, but there is only a small window of time when that’s a possibility. If we can’t save your tooth, then we will move on to the next best option: rebuilding your smile with a dental bridge or implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Lost Filling or Crown  

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Absolutely! To ensure that we restore your tooth before an infection develops or the tooth breaks, it’s of the utmost importance that you call us ASAP to explain your situation and schedule an exam.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown If you have your restoration, then place it in a small, clean container to keep it safe until your appointment. Between now and your visit, don’t chew on that side of your mouth, and steer clear of all spicy, sugary, acidic, and crunchy foods. If you’re in pain, you can also take an OTC pain reliever as directed for short-term relief.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns While lost fillings are almost always replaced with a new one, there are two options with a lost dental crown: re-cementing it back in place or having a new one made. Our recommendation on the best way to proceed will depend on a few key factors, including if you have your dental crown and if it’s in good condition.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAME-DAY DENTAL CROWNS

Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Remember, even a small break in your denture has the potential to expand. That’s why we recommend contacting us when you first notice that your restoration is damaged; we want to repair or replace it ASAP.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture After scheduling an appointment with our Longmeadow dental team, store your denture somewhere safe so it doesn’t break further (like a small, clean container). Until your appointment, stick to plain yogurt, vegetable soup, and other soft foods.

How We Treat Broken Dentures Sometimes, the break is minor enough that we can repair your denture at our office. Of course, that won’t be the case if it has shattered into several pieces. In that case, we need to replace it with a new traditional or implant denture.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Whether your tooth feels slightly loose or it feels like it’s about to fall out, you should contact us right away to schedule an exam. The sooner you do, the sooner we can pinpoint the root of the problem and restore your healthy smile.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth There are a few things you shouldn’t do, like wiggle the tooth with your finger or chew on that side of your mouth. Instead, do your best to keep the area clean by rinsing with clean, lukewarm water periodically and get to our office as soon as you can for your exam.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth Our goal is always to save your natural teeth whenever possible. So, if we can save yours with a dental splint, we absolutely will. If we can’t, then we will do the next best thing: carefully (and painlessly) extract the tooth before putting a dental implant in its place.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Patients are often shocked at how much blood can come from a small cut in their mouth. The good news is that soft tissue injuries can usually be handled quickly and with everything you already have at home.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue First, go to the sink and rinse your mouth with clean, room-temperature water. Once you can see where the cut is, use a damp washcloth or some gauze to apply pressure to it. The bleeding should stop within 10 minutes.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue We mentioned above that the bleeding should stop within 10 minutes. If it doesn’t, then you should go to the ER or call 911 for medical attention.

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Sometimes, yes! For example, if your jaw pain has persisted for more than 24 hours or it has progressed to the point where it’s negatively impacting your day-to-day life, you should absolutely schedule an emergency exam with our Longmeadow dental team.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain When the pain first arises, try using a cold compress. If that doesn’t work, try sticking to soft foods and taking OTC pain medication as directed on the label. If your discomfort continues to persist, then come in for an exam.

How We Treat Jaw Pain Since the root of the problem could be everything from an impacted wisdom tooth to chronic teeth grinding, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The only way we’ll know how to proceed is if we take a look at your X-rays and complete an oral exam.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

If you have something stuck between your teeth, don’t reach for the tweezers or a toothpick. Instead, rinse your mouth with some warm saltwater a few times before gently flossing. If that doesn’t work, give us a call.