Emergency Dentistry – Corpus Christi, TX
Call Us When Your Smile is Hurting
Dental emergencies are often extremely painful, and there’s often a limited window of time to try and reverse the damage. You need to be able to get emergency care right away, which is why it’s good to have a dentist you can turn to whenever you need them most. Dr. Kerr will act to see you as soon as possible once you get in touch with our office and can give you tips for your concerns.
Why Choose Ashley Kerr, DDS for Emergency Dentistry?
- Nitrous Oxide Sedation for Stress-Free Visits
- Team That Gives You the Close Attention You Need
- Truly Comprehensive Dental Service
How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies
Whether it’s due to an infection or a sudden accident, a dental emergency needs to be dealt with immediately. Call us as soon as you’re able. We’ll make arrangements to see you right away; ideally, you’ll be able to come into our office on the same day as your call. To take control of your situation, keep the following tips in mind for particularly common emergencies. We can give you additional advice when you contact us.
Toothaches
First, gently rinse and floss around the tooth that’s hurting to see if you can dislodge a stuck piece of food. In the event that doesn’t help, you may have an infection that requires a root canal; you can control your discomfort with a bag of ice and an over-the-counter pain reliever.
Chipped/ Broken Tooth
Try to recover as much of the tooth as possible and place the pieces in a safe container. Use gauze to stop any bleeding; head to an emergency room if said bleeding is uncontrollable. Use dental wax or a wet cotton ball to cover any rough edges. Protect the tooth at all costs; if it becomes too badly damaged, it may have to be removed entirely.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Aim to get to our office in an hour or two; if you want your tooth to be saved, there’s a limited window of time to do so. Gently pick the tooth up by the end used for chewing. Ideally, you should keep it in its socket, but it can also be preserved in milk or saltwater.
Lost Filling/ Crown
Rinse off the restoration and try to put it back on the tooth. You can hold it in place by using toothpaste as a temporary adhesive and keeping your mouth shut whenever possible. Note that reattaching the restoration by yourself is only a temporary fix meant to help protect the tooth until we can offer a more permanent solution.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
- If you play sports or participate in physical activity of any kind, wear a mouthguard.
- Do not chew ice, fingernails, pen tips, or anything else that’s too hard for your teeth.
- Never open a package or a bottle with your teeth.
- Make it a habit to brush at least twice a day. Don’t forget to floss to clean the areas of your mouth that a toothbrush can’t reach.
- Visit Dr. Kerr for a checkup and cleaning two times every year.
The Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
A filling for a minor cavity will not cost the same as root canal therapy for more advanced infections. Emergency care will carry a different cost depending on your unique situation. That said, we will always explore the various options, and we’ll recommend the simplest, least costly solutions; in other words, we only ever suggest care that you truly need. We can discuss payment options such as dental insurance and third-party financing during your visit.
TMJ/TMD Therapy
Protecting your oral health means taking care of more than just your teeth. Dr. Kerr has undergone special education courses at The Dawson Academy in order to become certified in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs). Such disorders typically manifest as persistent jaw pain as a result of continuous pressure on the joints; to find relief from the pain, we need to find a way to stop the pressure and give the jaw a chance to rest.