Emergency Dentistry Services

Even when we take great care of our oral health with daily brushing and flossing and regular dental appointments, emergencies can still happen. If you’ve experienced a dental emergency, you may think that waiting until your dentist’s office opens on Monday morning or going to your nearest emergency room are your only options. Luckily for patients of Ridgefield Perfect Smile Center, our team is happy to offer same day emergency dentistry services – even outside of our regular office hours. If you’re in need of urgent dental care, call our office immediately. If you don’t receive an answer, listen to the message to receive further information on how we can be reached. A member of our Ridgefield dental team is available to help our patients whenever they need us.

Common Dental Emergencies

Some of the most common dental emergencies we treat include:

• Broken tooth or dental restoration (filling, crown, bridge)
• Lost tooth or dental restoration
• Broken or bent partial or full denture
• Severe toothache or dental sensitivity
• Soft tissue laceration

When you think your situation requires urgent treatment, you’re probably right, even if you don’t see your specific oral health concern listed above. Please don’t hesitate to call our team. We can help you assess your situation over the phone, walk you through care at home, and schedule an appointment to see you as soon as possible. If you’re ever concerned that your injuries are life threatening or that you need treatment for concussion or other head injuries, please proceed to your nearest emergency room or call for assistance. Our dentists will be happy to work with these medical professionals to ensure your dental damage is included in your treatment plan. Our top priority is your safety.

Caring for Your Smile During an Emergency

When you call us for emergency assistance, one of our team members will be happy to walk you through first aid over the phone. For those who like to plan ahead, some of the basics include:

• Clean the area of any debris with cool water.
• If your tooth or dental restoration or parts of either have been knocked out, retrieve them. Always handle teeth by the biting surfaces and not the more fragile tooth roots.
• Use clean gauze or cloth to apply pressure and stop any bleeding from soft tissue lacerations.
• Apply an ice pack or cold compress for 20 minutes at a time to reduce swelling, relieve pain, and stop the flow of blood.
• Take over the counter pain relievers as directed, but do not apply the aspirin directly to a damaged tooth.

Preventing Dental Emergencies

There’s often no way to avoid a dental emergency, but there are a few habits you can change or improve to reduce your risk. To lower your chances to experience dental emergencies, make sure to do the following:

• Brush teeth two minutes at a time twice a day
• Floss daily
• Visit our Ridgefield dentist and team every six months for checkups and teeth cleanings
• Avoid chewing fingernails, ice, pen caps, and other hard objects
• Never use teeth as tools to open packages or crack nuts
• Wear a mouthguard as instructed during athletic events or to prevent damage from teeth grinding and clenching during sleep