When you break a tooth, bite your tongue, or lose a filling, you’re in too much pain to wait for a regular dental appointment. If you have a dental emergency, call Dr. Michael Cattafesta at Cattafesta Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Herndon, Virginia, and the team will do everything possible to accommodate you. If you have a dental emergency, come in or contact us online or over the phone.
A dental emergency can occur at any time. If you fall, suffer a blow to the mouth, or bite wrong, you could:
If any of these things happen to you, come in, call, or go online to contact us. And, even if what you’re experiencing isn’t listed here, contact us, and we will let you know if it’s an emergency.
If your child’s first teeth are damaged or fall out because of an accident, you should see Dr. Cattafesta right away. Your child’s soft tissues or incoming adult tooth could have been damaged as well.
If you or your child loses a permanent tooth, only pick it up by the crown — the top part — and do not touch the roots.
Gently rinse the tooth in cool water for a couple of seconds and, if possible, place it back in the socket. Then, bite down on a cool washcloth or gauze pad to hold it in place. If you or your child can’t fit the tooth back into the socket, place the tooth in a small jar of whole milk, saliva, or salt water. As a final resort, coat the tooth with saliva and wrap it in plastic.
If possible, try to get to Cattafesta Family & Cosmetic Dentistry within 30 minutes.
If your tooth hurts, take an over-the-counter pain medication and apply a cold compress if there’s any swelling. Then, get to the office right away.
If you’ve bitten your tongue, gently rinse out any blood with cool or warm water and take an over-the-counter medication to control pain. Then, apply a cold compress to reduce any swelling and get to the office right away.
If an object gets stuck in your teeth, try to remove it with dental floss. If you can’t remove it, come to the office immediately.
With some emergencies, you may need to go to an emergency room. At the first sign of a problem, call Cattafesta Family & Cosmetic Dentistry for guidance. No matter your oral emergency, we will always be here for you.
