Emergency Dentistry – Weymouth, MA
Saving Weymouth Smiles
Medical emergencies of any kind are painful and stress-inducing, but patients know where to go and who to call when they break an arm or sprain their ankle. What about dental emergencies? Who do you call if you lose a tooth or experience a debilitating toothache? For patients all along the South Shore, Columbian Square Dental offers emergency dentistry in our Weymouth, MA dental office when you need it most – during an emergency! We invite patients to contact us right away in case of a dental emergency. No matter what time of day, call our dental office, and we’ll attempt to offer a same-day appointment or provide expert recommendations to make you comfortable until you reach our dental office.
The best way to ensure patients maintain their oral health during a dental emergency is to help them prepare to take action protecting their oral and overall health. In case of emergency, we recommend following this process:
- Call – Contact our team right away. We’ll provide guidance over the phone, schedule an appointment, and help patients stay safe and healthy before they visit our team.
- Clean – Preventing infection is essential when it comes to facial trauma, lost teeth, and other injuries. Gently rinse out the mouth or wound with warm saltwater. Take care to preserve natural oral structures while removing debris and bacteria. Don’t use oral rinses, toothpaste, or other products to clean wounds unless our team directs you to do so. One situation where brushing and flossing are encouraged is when patients have food or other debris caught in teeth. Gently brush and floss to remove these items, and if this is ineffective, don’t use toothpicks and other sharp objects to dislodge food or debris. Allow our team to care for your smile.
- Care – Manage pain by taking over the counter pain relievers. Do not place aspirin or other products directly onto teeth as this may cause more harm. Use an ice pack or cold compress at 20-minute intervals (20 on/20 off) to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
If you experience a broken jaw, bleeding that will not abate after one or more hours, or severe traumatic injury, call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room. Our dental office is conveniently located directly across from the South Shore Hospital and our team is happy to work in partnership with medical professionals to ensure your oral and overall health is protected.
Emergency Dentistry Frequently Asked Questions
If a dental emergency strikes, it’s definitely not the time to take a crash-course in how to properly respond. It’s a much better idea to be prepared beforehand so that whatever the problem, it can be neutralized as fast as possible and you can be restored to normal. But first, there are some key questions that need to be answered in regard to how to effectively handle a dental emergency. Therefore, if you find yourself in such a situation, you won’t feel the need to panic. Then, with the help of Dr. William Olafson or Dr. Jacinth Giroux, and our staff members at Columbian Square Dental, your oral health and life can regain some normalcy.
How do I know if I'm having a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is any situation that represents a sudden and drastic decline in your oral health. In most cases, it’s easy to determine that you have an emergency on your hands because you’ll notice such things as excruciating pain, bleeding, a dislodged tooth or dental fixture or a bad break. Once you determine that you’re experiencing an emergency, the next thing you should do is to give us a call so one of our staff members can schedule a visit with your emergency dentist.
What can I take to help with tooth pain?
If you’re suffering from severe tooth pain, one step you can take for some temporary relief is to take ibuprofen. By doing so and applying ice to the outside of the jaw near the pain site, you can also reduce painful inflammation. In some situations, gargling with salt-water to reduce the acidity in your mouth is helpful.
How do I remove an object that’s stuck in my mouth or teeth?
If an object is stuck between your teeth or somewhere else in your mouth, you can attempt to remove it by carefully flossing around the area. If this isn’t successful, you should immediately reach out to us so you can be seen as soon as possible. Meanwhile, to prevent the situation from getting worse, try to avoid the area.
How long does a toothache last?
A toothache is typically caused by accelerated bacteria growth that has entered the sensitive inner area of the tooth. Although the pain may lessen slightly at first, as a general rule of thumb, you can expect discomfort related to a toothache to last until the problem is addressed.
When you visit our Weymouth dental office, we’ll first capture X-ray photos to pinpoint where the flare-up is. Then, after either Dr. Olafson or Dr. Giroux perform a thorough examination and make a diagnosis, you can move forward with having your oral health restored.
Should I go to the emergency room?
In most cases, a dental emergency doesn’t require a trip to the emergency room. However, there are some exceptions to the rule.
For example, if you’ve suffered from excessive oral bleeding that has lasted for more than 10 minutes, you should head out to the emergency room. Another situation that requires immediate attention is when you suspect you have a broken jaw. By acting expeditiously to respond to either situation, the faster you can recover.