Emergency Dentist New Orleans
Quick Help When You Need It
Healthy Mouth
Special
$49
Includes:
X-rays, & limited emergency exam
Regular value $125
*Only for patients without dental insurance.
Why Choose Camenzuli Dental Excellence for Preventive Dentistry?
Dental Insurance Accepted
State-of-the-Art Dental Technology
Experienced Dentist with Specialized, Advanced Training
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
Call our office right away. The sooner you give us a call, the better chance we have of addressing your situation as quickly as possible. We’ll schedule you for the earliest available appointment. Over the phone, we’ll provide first-aid instructions to help you manage your situation in the meantime.
See Dr. Camenzuli for an emergency exam. At our office, Dr. Camenzuli will perform a thorough examination and take X-rays to identify the underlying problem. Based on his findings, we’ll create a custom treatment plan to get your oral health back to normal.
Get the care you need. During your visit, we may be able to temporarily relieve your pain with anesthesia or sedation. However, you’ll probably have to return for additional treatment to address the root cause of your emergency. Some common solutions include fillings, dental crowns, root canal therapy, gum disease treatment, and extraction.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
By nature, dental emergencies are often unexpected, so obviously you won’t be able to plan when or how they happen. However, you can somewhat plan how you will react in response. In most cases, your first step should be calling us immediately. We can schedule your visit, often on the same day as your initial call, and give you specific advice. Below are instructions for dealing with the most common dental emergencies.
Something Stuck Between the Teeth
You shouldn’t attempt to use anything sharp to try to get an object out from between your teeth. Attempting to dislodge it with tweezers, toothpicks, or cutlery can put the item in further or damage your soft tissue. Instead, rinse your mouth with water. Next, use dental floss to dislodge it. If you are still struggling to get it out, give us a call so we can assist you.
Jaw Pain
Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Most of the time, jaw pain isn’t a dental emergency. However, it can still be uncomfortable. If your pain becomes severe or chronic, let us know. We can begin working toward reducing your discomfort.
How You Should Handle Jaw Pain: Over-the-counter pain relievers are oftentimes enough to address the discomfort. If you think your jaw may be broken or dislocated, you should go to the emergency room for assistance.
How We Treat Jaw Pain: The treatment that we use to address jaw pain depends on the patient. For some, a nightguard for bruxism is necessary. For others, TMJ treatment may be necessary. During your visit with us, we will work to get to the bottom of the issue so it can be resolved.
Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue
Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Experiencing trauma in this area can be alarming because it has the tendency to bleed a lot. If you have concerns regarding a wound in this area, give us a call so we can provide you with further instructions.
How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: Begin by rinsing the area with water to wash away dirt and debris. Then, use a clean washcloth or gauze to apply pressure to the area until the bleeding subsides. For pain and inflammation, use a cold compress.
How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: If the cut to your mouth is small, we may be able to help by stitching the wound closed. For larger cuts or lacerations, you should head to the emergency room for help. We’d be happy to address your smile after you have been discharged.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
Not all dental emergencies are the same. Treatment that can resolve a problem for one patient may not be enough to fix it for another. As a result, the cost of treatment will vary on a case-by-case basis. However, one thing is universal when it comes to a dental emergency—it’s never a good idea to postpone seeking professional help. Oral problems only get worse, and therefore require more extensive and expensive treatment, the longer you wait. When you come in, our team will review your financial options and help make your dental care fit within your budget.
Broken Denture
Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? You rely on your dentures to chew your food, speak clearly, and smile with confidence. Breaking one may not feel painful or be life-threatening, but you should still have it address as soon as you can. Wearing a broken denture can lead to soft-tissue irritation and make the damage worse.
How You Should Handle a Broken Denture: You shouldn’t attempt to repair a broken denture on your own. Denture repair kits and household items can result in further damage. Instead, give us a call to let us know what’s going on.
How We Treat Broken Dentures: The way that we address broken dentures depends on the severity of the damage. If your denture just has a small chip or crack, we may be able to correct it with composite resin. However, for more severe damage, you may need to be fitted with new dentures. This is also a great time to consider another tooth replacement option, like dental implants.
Lost Filling or Crown
Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency?: Restorations generally do not last forever, which means they can break or fall off if they become too old. It’s not always a dental emergency if this occurs, but you’ll want to call our office as soon as you can so we can create a replacement. Uncovered teeth are more susceptible to infection and decay.
How you should handle a lost filling or crown: Do your best to locate the restoration and bring it with you to our office. Avoid touching the exposed tooth or biting down on anything hard or crunchy to prevent irritating your tooth further. You can also use dental cement to temporarily reseat the crown. Do not attempt to do this with dental fillings.
How we treat lost fillings or crowns: If your crown is newer and relatively intact, we may be able to recement it to your tooth. Otherwise, we will get you scheduled to receive a new crown. If a filling has come out, we may be able to place a new one the same day you visit.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency?: You’ll need to act as quickly as possible to save your tooth. If your tooth is outside of your mouth for more than one hour, the chances of saving it go down dramatically. Call us as soon as possible if a tooth is knocked out.
How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: Do your best to locate the tooth and pick it up by the crown. Do not touch the root or remove any tissue still attached to it. Gently rinse the tooth of any dirt or debris, then place it back into your open socket to keep it preserved. You can also submerge it in milk, saline solution, or a tooth preservation kit approved by the ADA if you have one.
How we treat knocked-out teeth: In some cases, a tooth can be saved if it is still alive and not too damaged. However, if it cannot be reimplanted, we will discuss your tooth replacement options instead. This could include dental bridges or dental implants in most cases.
Very Sensitive Teeth
Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency?: When tooth sensitivity appears, it’s usually due to the layers of enamel becoming worn down over time. Overbrushing, eating an overly acidic diet, and teeth grinding can wear down teeth, but sensitivity can also be a sign of an underlying dental issue, including a cracked tooth or filling, deep cavity, gum disease, or an infection. If your sensitivity becomes severe, chronic, or appears when exposed to very hot or cold stimuli, call our office.
How you should handle sensitive teeth: Start by calling our office so we can take note of your symptoms and determine if you should come in immediately or on a later date. In the meantime, we recommend avoiding any food or beverages that are very acidic, sweet, or spicy. Drink plenty of lukewarm water and take over-the-counter painkillers as needed.
How we treat tooth sensitivity: If your enamel as become weakened or eroded, we may recommend switching to a desensitizing toothpaste or using a prescription mouthwash. However, if the problem is more severe in nature, antibiotics, gum disease therapy, or a root canal could be needed.
Cracked Tooth
Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? A cracked tooth is a dental emergency! Both small and large cracks increase your risk of developing an infection and splitting the tooth further. So, call us ASAP.
How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth Since it’s possible for an infection to develop, we recommend first rinsing your mouth with clean, room-temperature water (room-temperature is key because it will help prevent additional sensitivity). Next, cover the tooth with a piece of dental wax or sugarless gum and avoid chewing on it. Of course, you can also take over-the-counter pain medication if you’re uncomfortable.
How We Treat Cracked Teeth Fortunately, many cases of cracked teeth can be treated with a durable, lifelike dental crown. However, if the crack is so severe that saving the tooth is no longer the best option for your oral health, then we may need to extract it. Then, we can fill the open space with a tooth-replacement solution, like a dental bridge or implant.
Chipped Tooth
Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency? A chipped tooth isn’t life-threatening and doesn’t always hurt, so it isn’t considered an emergency. However, leaving it untreated can increase the risk of further damage or infection, so you’ll want to get it repaired sooner rather than later.
How you should handle a chipped tooth: Rinse with lukewarm water to remove any debris and bacteria. Gather up any pieces of the tooth that you can find so you can bring them with you to your appointment. While you wait to see us, refrain from chewing on that side of your mouth. If you notice any jagged or sharp edges on the tooth, try covering it with dental wax or sugarless gum to protect your soft oral tissues. The former can be found in the dental section of your local pharmacy.
How we treat chipped teeth: Our team can typically fix a chipped tooth with direct bonding (composite resin), which can be completed in a single appointment. For more lasting results, or if the injury is highly visible like on a front tooth, we can offer veneers instead.
Toothaches
Is my toothache a dental emergency? A toothache can be due to a variety of reasons, such as a minor problem or a more serious issue that needs immediate attention. However, if you’re experiencing sharp, throbbing pain and/or a small bump on the gums, then you should consider visiting our team as soon as possible for help.
How you should handle a toothache: Rinse your mouth out with lukewarm water and floss around the painful tooth to dislodge any stuck particles. Swishing a mixture of salt and water can help minimize any swelling/discomfort and disinfect the area. You can also take over-the-counter pain relievers to alleviate soreness or sensitivity until you come to see us.
How we treat toothaches: We will thoroughly evaluate your mouth to determine the root of your toothache. While more common conditions can be treated with a filling or dental crown, other severe situations may require more extensive treatments, such as periodontal therapy, root canal therapy, or tooth extractions. Our team will be sure to walk you through our findings and discuss the best approach to alleviating your symptoms.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Try as we might, not every broken or knocked-out tooth can be prevented. However, there are a few simple ways you can drastically reduce your risk of a dental emergency. Dr. Camenzuli’s number one goal is to help his patients prevent unnecessary damage and discomfort with great oral health habits. However, if you do find yourself in need of urgent dental care, don’t hesitate to contact us for fast, effective treatment.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Don’t wait for a dental emergency to visit your New Orleans dentist. Even if your teeth look and feel fine, it’s important to get your dental checkups every six months. Oftentimes, you won’t be able to detect cavities, gum disease, and other oral health issues yourself until they begin to cause pain or significant damage. Regularly visiting your dentist can help spot and stop these problems as early as possible, and hopefully even prevent them from developing in the first place!
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home
Brushing and flossing every day may seem like a mundane task, but they can go a long way in helping you avoid a trip to your emergency dentist in New Orleans. If the plaque, bacteria, and food debris in your mouth aren’t thoroughly cleaned away daily, they can burn through your enamel and attack your gums. Brushing for two minutes twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with mouthwash regularly will reduce your risk of a wide range of painful oral health issues that require emergency dental care.
Be Careful with Your Diet
When your oral bacteria feed off the sugars in the foods you eat, they produce cavity-causing acids. Thankfully, there are plenty of delicious snacks you can add to your diet that can help your mouth fight off infections and strengthen your teeth as well. Make sure you’re eating plenty of smile-friendly foods like:
Raw, crunchy fruits and vegetables.
Protect Your Pearly Whites
Did you know your enamel is the hardest substance in your body? Unfortunately, it’s not indestructible. A condition called bruxism, or grinding your teeth in your sleep, can easily wear down, chip, or fracture your teeth over time. Nightguards are essential for protecting against this extra pressure and preventing the painful symptoms that can accompany it. This custom-made appliance keeps the upper and lower teeth from touching and relaxes the jaw muscles.
Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging
When you’re excited to open a package, bottle of soda, or your favorite bag of chips, it may be tempting to use your teeth. However, your teeth should only be used to rip and tear food—anything else puts too much pressure on your enamel. In the blink of an eye, you can suddenly be left with a chipped or cracked tooth! Save yourself from an unexpected dental visit by always using the proper tools for the job.
Dental Emergency FAQs
When you call Dr. Camenzuli with an urgent dental problem, he and the rest of our team will do our utmost to see you as soon as possible and get you out of pain quickly. From dislodged teeth to a busted lip, we have the training necessary to treat all kinds of dental emergencies. However, before you make it to our office, we want you to be as prepared as possible, which is why we have answered some of our most frequently asked questions about emergency dentistry.
What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?
Any time you experience serious trauma or pain in your mouth, it’s a good idea to treat it as an emergency. Even if you believe that it’s nothing serious or the pain fades away, it’s best to err on the side of caution and contact us to schedule an appointment anyway. Dental health problems rarely ever go away on their own, and can worsen the longer you put off treatment. Profuse bleeding, swelling that compromises your ability to breathe or swallow, or an injured jaw are all serious emergencies that should be treated at your local ER. For all other oral problems, call your dentist in New Orleans instead.
How Can I Manage the Pain?
Until your appointment with us, you may need something to help alleviate your discomfort, especially if for some reason we can’t see you on the same day as your call. You could use one or more of the following:
Raw, crunchy fruits and vegetables.
What If I Have a Dental Emergency While I’m Out of Town?
If a dental emergency occurs while you’re on vacation, try not to panic. Instead, find a dentist in the area who will treat your immediate problem. Once that is squared away and you are out of pain, give us a call to book an appointment when you return. That way we can evaluate your oral health and see whether any further treatment is required.
My Toothache Went Away. Do I Still Need to See a Dentist?
Absolutely. While many people believe that the occasional tooth pain is perfectly normal, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, if your toothache suddenly goes away, it could mean that the nerve inside the tooth has “died,” meaning it doesn’t feel pain anymore. At this point, you might need a root canal or even a tooth extraction to prevent the damage from spreading to other teeth. As a rule of thumb, teeth never hurt for no reason. If you experience even a slight toothache, call us right away so we can address the root of the problem.