Drawing of a man clutching his forehead in panic against a red and purple sunburst background

5 Tips to Handle a Dental Emergency

Dental emergencies can happen at the most inconvenient times. And let’s be honest: you can never really be fully prepared to handle a situation you’re not expecting. That’s why at Choice Austin Dental, we leave room in our schedule so we can see patients the same day they call. If a dental emergency rears its head in your life, you can count on our highly-skilled team to take excellent care of you and get you back to smiling as soon as possible. But in between the emergency occurring and getting to our office, panic can set in. We’re going to share five tips to ease your stress and pain when handling a dental emergency!

  1. ASSESS THE STATE OF YOUR EMERGENCY
  2. When an emergency occurs, first determine how serious your emergency is. Is there pain? Is there blood or rapid swelling? These are all useful things to note, so you can share them with either our office or 911, depending on the severity of your case.

  3. CALL THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE
  4. Most people think of 911 when they hear the word “emergency.” But ambulances can be costly and, in the case of most dental mishaps, hospitals often will just refer you out to a good, local dentist. If your situation isn’t dire, the first person you call should be us. We are well-equipped to handle dental accidents in ways that general hospitals just aren’t. When you call, we’ll talk you through your next steps and get you in as soon as we possibly can.

  5. GET TO OUR OFFICE QUICKLY, BUT SAFELY
  6. Dealing with dental emergencies quickly is a great way to improve the chances of your dental emergency being less serious and costly down the line. For instance, for people who have permanent teeth knocked out, we can often reinsert the tooth if the proper precautions are followed. Following our instructions could mean the difference between losing and saving a tooth. However, be safe and do not exceed the speed limit when traveling to avoid causing another accident!

    Brunette woman takes deep breaths to calm her panic during a dental emergency

  7. STAY CALM
  8. When in an emergency situation, it’s incredibly easy to lose your head and panic. But take a breath because most dental emergencies are easily fixed. Here’s a quick exercise you can do to remain calm on your way to see us:

    • Exhale all the air from your lungs through your mouth while making a loud whooshing noise.
    • Close your mouth and inhale deeply through your nose to a count of four.
    • Hold your breath in for seven seconds.
    • Deeply exhale through your mouth, making another whooshing noise for eight seconds.
    • Repeat until your panic has passed.

  9. LET US DO THE REST
  10. Rest assured that your emergency will be cared for with efficiency and immediacy at our office. Keeping your smile healthy and beautiful is our passion, and we’re here for you in emergency situations. We are open:

    • Monday & Wednesday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
    • Tuesday & Thursday 7:30 am – 5:00 pm
    • Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Your safety and health is our priority, and we want to ensure you get the care you need. In case of future dental emergencies, be sure to save Choice Austin Dental’s number (512-345-5552) in your phone.

Contact Us

Previous
Next

Comments are closed.