URGENT CARE
Kindred Dental
DENTIST LOCATED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Emergency Dental Specialist
Emergency Dental Specialist
Dr. Nicolas Kindred is available to patients who have dental needs that require urgent care. Patients in Washington D.C. with a dental emergency can visit Dr. Kindred at Kindred Dental to get their situation taken care of in a timely manner. In some cases like tooth loss as the result of trauma, every moment counts when dealing with an urgent care situation.
Urgent Care Q & A
Emergency Dental in Washington D.C.
What is a dental emergency?
Dental emergencies refer to a broken or lost tooth, when there’s a high risk for losing a tooth, or if there’s severe pain. It can also include cuts inside the mouth like gums, tongue, lips. When there’s an injury that involves a fall, or direct blow to the mouth, it can cause a tooth to dislodge or break, or surrounding tissue to get lacerated and bleed. In some cases, the tooth can be knocked completely out of the mouth. Urgent care dental emergencies should be treated as soon as possible to save the tooth. If a damaged tooth and mouth are left untreated for long, infection of tissue or tooth, or further injury can occur.
What should I do if my tooth is knocked out?
If you receive an injury where the permanent tooth is knocked free, you should take immediate action to get it treated as soon as possible. It’s important that you keep the tooth moist at all times so that Dr. Kindred can reattach it if possible. Gently place the tooth inside saline solution (obtained from pharmacy) with care not to touch the root. Avoid brushing or washing the tooth with soap as it can damage the cells that may still be attached to the tooth and help it with reattachment. You can also hold the tooth in-between your cheek and gum, or place it in a cup of milk. The American Dental Association has also approved a tooth preservation solution in which you can store the tooth for transport which can be available in local pharmacies.
Are there other dental emergencies?
If a tooth has been chipped or cracked, and remains in the mouth, it’s considered an urgent care need and should be treated in timely manner as soon as possible to prevent further damage. If a chip or crack isn’t treated swiftly it can result in a complete break, possible decay, or infection. Severe toothaches are also considered dental emergencies. If the source of the severe pain is an abscess, it will need to be treated as soon as possible. A lacerated tongue/gums, where the bleeding is substantial or won’t stop, should be considered urgent. You can rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area, and use cold compresses to help keep down pain and swelling and stop the bleeding, before you seek treatment. If bleeding does not stop, you may need to contact 911 or go to near by ER for treatment.
How are dental emergencies treated?
Treatment for dental emergencies depends on the type of urgent care you need. For example, if you have an abscess, antibiotics can be prescribed to reduce a chance of infection once the abscess is drained. For a broken tooth, a temporary cap or crown can be used. Dr. Kindred will assess the situation and decide on treatment along side with you based on the results of evaluations.