Dental Emergencies in Jonesboro, AR

Dental emergencies happen, and when one happens to you, you need to know that your pain will be relieved as soon as possible.

If you are having a dental emergency, call our Jonesboro dental office at (870) 932-3151, and we will be happy to see you and take care of the problem. Please call as soon after 8:15 a.m. as possible to ensure we can take care of you.

If you are unable to reach us, or cannot come in immediately, this is a list of the most common dental emergencies we have experience with, and how to treat them until a dental expert can see you:

• Broken or chipped tooth – If you have broken or chipped a tooth and there is no pain, then you will have no problem waiting until you can get to our office. Until you come in, avoid chewing on the tooth to prevent further chipping. If you are having pain associated with the broken tooth, then the problem may be a cavity or the break may be close or in to the nerve of the tooth. In this case, get in as soon as possible so that we can fix the problem before it gets worse.
• Dental crown has become loose or came off - If you have a dental crown come off, temporary or permanent, then it should be put back on as soon as possible. Teeth move, and the crown may not fit if it has been left off for any length of time. This would necessitate the crown being remade and would create additional expense for you. Until you can get into our office, place some denture adhesive like Fixodent (or toothpaste) into the dental crown and put it back on the tooth if you can.
• Swelling in the face or mouth – Swelling is almost always a sign of abscess. If you have swelling in the face or mouth, you need to call us as soon as possible so that we can treat it. Infection can easily spread into other areas of the head and neck and cause severe problems. If a tooth is the cause of the abscess, then a root canal will be needed or the tooth will need to be removed.
• Broken denture or partial – If your denture or partial is broken, it will most likely need to be repaired by a dental laboratory. Please DO NOT super glue it back together. Bring in all the pieces to our office when you come in. We may need to take an impression of your mouth to help with the repair. If you have lost a tooth out of your denture, bring it with you. We can sometimes use it and save you the cost of another tooth. This will also better preserve the color matching and shape. Most repairs are completed on the same day with early morning appointments.
• Pain with hot or cold temperatures – Pain upon application of hot or cold is a symptom associated with tooth nerve inflammation. This is most often due to a cavity or dental abscess. This will get worse over time, so don’t dismiss the pain. If you are having symptoms, call us as soon as possible for an appointment.
• Pain when you bite down – Depending on the type of pain, chewing pain can be a sign of either a cracked tooth or a dental abscess. Either problem will get worse if not treated, but catching a cracked tooth early can prevent the need for a root canal.
• Front tooth is knocked out – If you or your child has had a tooth knocked out for any reason, it is critical that you follow the steps below and call our office as soon as possible. Treatment time after injury is crucial for the best outcome possible.

• • Rinse the tooth under cool water to wash off any dirt or debris. DO NOT TOUCH OR BRUSH THE TOOTH ROOT.
  • Place the tooth back into the socket it came out of and hold it stable with a bandage or towel, if possible.
  • If you cannot put the tooth back, place it into one of these in order of preference:

• • • Put it into Hank’s Balanced Saline Solution (found in some sports first aid kits or at local pharmacies). If you are going to a pharmacy to get this, place it into one of the other options below until then.
    • Put it into a cup of cold milk.
    • Wrap the tooth in a saltwater-soaked bandage/gauze.
    • Put it into a cup of cool water. 

Don’t wait another minute. If you are in pain, immediately call our emergency dental office in Jonesboro so that we can help you.