Emergency Dentist — Jacksonville, FL
The Secret to a Smile That’s
Healthy for a Lifetime
As you’d expect, dental emergencies are incredibly stressful – they always happen when you least expect them. Some frighten people enough that they panic and worsen their situations. We don’t want that to happen to you, so call our office for urgent oral care; our friendly dental team will help you. In particular, we’ll provide guidance and book your emergency visit as soon as possible.
Why Choose Distinctive Dentistry by Mullens & Nguyen for Emergency Dental Care?
Same-Day Emergency Dentistry Appointments
We See Patients of All Ages
Accurate Diagnoses with Our Intraoral Camera
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
Maybe you don’t know how emergency dentistry works. Still, there’s no need to worry – we’re happy to give you a quick rundown. With that said, here’s what you can expect from an emergency dental visit:
Same-Day Visit – When you call us, we’ll book your visit for the earliest available time. You’ll likely see us for same-day care! Before the appointment, our staff can also provide first-aid tips over the phone.
Emergency Exam – When you arrive at our office, we’ll first give you an emergency exam. Doing so confirms the source and extent of your oral issue. It also lets us see how best to relieve your pain in the short term.
Review of Findings – Drs. Mullens and Nguyen will explain their findings to you after the exam. From there, they’ll suggest possible dental responses. Your feedback will then help them draft a custom treatment plan for you. (This plan will explain the estimated price and timeline before the procedure.)
Needed Dental Care – Regardless of the nature of your oral problem, our team will address it quickly and effectively. After all, we can provide dental crowns, root canal therapy, tooth extractions, and more. You can thus trust us with your smile and overall oral health.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
In reality, some dental emergencies are more common than others. This fact stems from how many of them have the same underlying causes. Therefore, you should always contact our office when facing an urgent oral issue. Our team members are trained and equipped to handle these common-yet-severe dilemmas. Until you can see us, though, use the information below to ease your discomfort while you wait.
Root Canals
Due to rumors floating around, root canals are often misunderstood as the worst dental treatment. However, we’re here to set the record straight: This treatment saves natural teeth from infections and isn’t painful! Before it even starts, we’ll numb the treatment site by injecting a local anesthetic. Once done, most patients are glad the service preserves their treated tooth for the rest of their lives!
Tooth Extractions
We understand that no substitution can compare to a home-grown tooth. Consequently, we only suggest tooth extractions if the current problem poses a serious risk to your surrounding teeth. In these cases, we can simply remove the severely damaged tooth and replace it with an implant-retained dental crown so you don’t have to live with a gap in your smile.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
The cost of your emergency visit will depend on what treatment you need. During your examination, we’ll visually inspect your teeth and gums and collect any necessary X-rays. When we diagnose the issue you’re facing, we’ll walk you through our treatment recommendation and the pricing. If you’d like help filing a claim through your insurance or have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask us so we can help!
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Unfortunately, there isn’t one thing you can do to avoid a dental emergency. There are, however, several preventive measures you can take to reduce your risk of ending up in an emergency dentist’s treatment chair. Some of these include:
Maintain Good At-Home Oral Hygiene
To prevent plaque and tartar from building up, food particles from getting stuck between your teeth, and bad breath from becoming a chronic issue, you need to take good care of your smile at home. This basically boils down to brushing twice a day, flossing each evening, and rinsing with mouthwash regularly. Make sure to use the right tools and that you are mindful of timing (you need to brush your teeth for a full two minutes each time and rinse with mouthwash for 30-60 seconds).
Visit Us for a Dental Checkup and Teeth Cleaning Biannually
Commitment to a solid at-home oral hygiene regimen is essential in order to prevent common oral health issues, like tooth decay and gum disease. That said, your dental care regimen is ultimately incomplete if you don’t come to our Jacksonville dental office twice a year for a dental checkup and teeth cleaning. These periodic appointments ensure that problems are detected (and treated) early on, and that plaque, tartar, and other harmful substances are removed before they wreak havoc on your smile.
Stick to a Well-Balanced Diet
If your meals are filled with sugary and starchy foods, then it’s only a matter of time until your teeth start to decay. That’s why patients are encouraged to fill up on nutrient-dense foods that are also smile-friendly, like plain yogurt.
Bonus tip: Drink lots of water throughout the day! This will ensure that you stay hydrated while also reducing your risk of dry mouth and rinsing away any lingering food particles or residue.
Don’t Try to Open Packages Using Your Teeth
If the scissors aren’t close, you might be tempted to remove plastic wrapping or open a bag of chips with your teeth. Don’t! The pressure can cause your teeth to chip, crack, or fracture, which often necessitates a same-day visit to our office for treatment. For the same reason, we recommend breaking any other bad habits that could damage your teeth, like smoking, biting your nails, or chewing on ice.
Protect Your Mouth If You Play Contact Sports
It goes without saying that you need to wear a mouthguard if you participate in contact sports, like football. But did you know that you should wear one during non-contact sports as well as while surfing, skateboarding, rollerblading, or lifting weights? That way, your teeth are protected in case you grind/clench your teeth or accidentally fall.
Dental Emergency FAQs
What is the fastest way to schedule an emergency dental appointment?
While we’re typically happy to communicate electronically with our patients, whether this involves email, text, or filling out forms on our site, the quickest way to be seen for an emergency appointment is to call us at (904) 399-3163.
This approach allows us to respond instantly during regular business hours, and if you leave a message, we’ll contact you first thing the next day. While on the phone with our team, you’ll have a chance to describe your situation to us so we can prepare for your visit, plus we can offer first-aid tips to keep you comfortable in the meantime.
Should I ever go to the ER for a dental emergency?
In most cases, no, you should not go to the ER for a dental emergency. This is because the personnel there are not trained or have the equipment to adequately handle complicated dental problems. They will likely give you something for your pain, an antibiotic, and that’s it. The wait in an ER can be quite long, plus it may lead to a very large bill depending on your area/insurance coverage. When it comes to your teeth, it’s always best to see a dentist!
However, if a person has a broken bone in addition to dental injuries (like a fractured jaw), is bleeding profusely, or is having issues breathing, then you should go to the ER, and they’ll be able to provide what’s needed in a timely manner.
Will a toothache ever go away on its own?
Yes, but that’s not actually a good thing!
Dental problems like cavities and infections very rarely resolve themselves. In 99.9% of cases, they only get worse if left alone. A toothache suddenly stopping usually means that the bacteria is starting to harm the dental nerve, meaning it is progressing and threatening to reach the jawbone.
The sooner you act when a toothache pops up, the more efficiently and conservatively we’ll be able to fix it. Especially when it comes to pain, if you start to experience any out-of-the-ordinary oral symptoms, just give us a call. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your teeth!
Does dental insurance cover dental emergency care?
While different providers offer various plans with a wide range of benefits, the majority of dental insurance plans will help pay for emergency dental treatment in some capacity. Many will fully cover an emergency exam, and then they may partially cover a crown, bridge, denture, or other restoration or prosthetic needed to repair the damage.
We’ll go over all of these details when you come to see us so you know what your financial commitment is before you agree to any treatment.
