A dental emergency requires immediate care. The expert team at the Katy Emergency Room can address damage to your teeth at all hours of the day — any day of the week. Relying on painkillers for tooth pain or delaying care a cracked or knocked out tooth can have serious repercussions and may result in permanent damage. Don’t wait to seek treatment for an oral emergency; visit Katy ER as soon as you can.
Katy Emergency Room, a Village Emergency Center facility located in Katy, Texas, is open for walk-in patients 24 hours per day, seven days per week. We never close, not even on holidays. A private, freestanding emergency room, Katy ER offers all of the same services and care as a hospital emergency room but with little or no wait time.
What constitutes a dental emergency?
Dental emergencies can range from severe tooth pain to a knocked-out tooth. An emergency may come on suddenly. You may wake up with the pain, or a dental emergency can happen due to a fall, automobile accident, or sports injury.
If you have severe oral pain, discomfort, swelling, bleeding, or aching, seek oral emergency care at Katy ER.
How do I handle a dental emergency?
How you care for your emergency on your way to the Katy ER can affect your outcome. If you have a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, it’s important to keep it moist at all times. Don’t remove the visible tooth root, but brush off any dirt. If possible, hold the tooth back in its socket or in the side of your mouth at your cheek. If you can’t hold it in your mouth, place it in a cup of milk. Get to Katy ER right away. The sooner they can treat a knocked-out tooth, the more likely it can be saved.
If you have a cracked or chipped tooth, rinse your mouth with warm water to clean off any debris. Use ice packs or cold compresses to reduce any related swelling as you head to the emergency room.
If you have bleeding, jaw pain, or have bitten your tongue or lip severely, swish warm water in your mouth and apply a cold compress. You may need stitches or a thorough disinfection to prevent complications.
For patients who develop a serious toothache or abscess, you may rinse your mouth with warm water and use floss to remove any food caught between your teeth. An abscess may indicate serious decay or a tooth that needs pulling.
An object stuck in your mouth or between your teeth may be removed with floss, but never use a sharp or pointed instrument to try to dislodge it. Let the experts at Katy ER remove the object safely to prevent further damage.
How can I avoid dental emergencies?
Your best treatment for a dental emergency is prevention. Optimal oral care from your regular dentist and good at-home hygiene practices help keep your teeth healthy.
Other steps that discourage injury include not using your teeth as tools — use scissors or other appropriate appliances instead. Avoid chewing very hard objects, including ice, popcorn kernels, and hard candy.
Visiting an ER specialist, such as those at Katy ER, as soon as possible after developing a dental emergency improves your chances of saving a tooth and avoiding complications. You can stop in 24 hours a day if you have oral pain or injury, especially if your regular dentist’s office is closed or they just can’t accommodate you on an emergency basis.