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Emergency Dentist — Forest, VA

Fast, Pain-Relieving Dentistry You Can Count On

Dental emergencies can happen for any number of reasons, but do you know what they all have in common? Absolutely none of them are ever planned! While no one can anticipate a knocked-out tooth or broken crown ruining their day, they can rest assured that they have an emergency dentist in Forest at the ready should they ever need one. Our team has years of experience handling everything from the simplest to the most severe dental emergency. No matter the situation, the goal remains the same: to see a patient as quickly as possible and get them out of pain. When you need dental care fast, just give us a call, and we’ll work with our schedule and yours to make sure you can get the attention you need right when you need it.

Why Choose Crossroads Family Dentistry for Emergency Dental Care?

What to Do in a Dental Emergency

woman smiling while visiting emergency dentist in Forest

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

It can be hard to think clearly when you’re in shock or pain because of a dental emergency in Forest. That’s why we always suggest calling our team as soon as you find yourself in a time-sensitive dental situation. We provide over-the-phone first-aid guidance and will do everything in our power to fit you into our schedule as soon as possible. Below, we’ve outlined some basic steps to help you handle common dental emergencies while you get ready to come to our office.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies 

understanding cost of emergency dentistry in Forest

The only way we can provide you with a cost for your emergency treatment is to first conduct an examination to find out the root cause of your discomfort. Then, we can create a customized plan to provide you with lasting relief and protection. Our emergency dental office in Forest is happy to accept dental insurance and even offers an in-house savings plan, so you won’t have to stress about the financial impact of your treatment.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

woman brushing teeth in bathroom mirror

Although there’s no way to completely avoid dental emergencies, there are some tips to help reduce your risk of experiencing one. Some of these include:

Tooth Extractions

Model smie and x-rays of tooth to be removed

While our primary goal is to help our patients keep their natural teeth for as long as possible, sometimes, the best thing we can possibly do is remove one to protect their oral and overall health. A patient may need an extraction if:

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Root Canals

Young man with healthy smile

Before you quickly scroll past this, just know that at Crossroads Family Dentistry, ROOT CANALS ARE A VIRTUALLY PAINLESS PROCEDURE! Do we have your attention? Great! With this treatment, we can fully restore a tooth that has developed a painful infection deep within its innermost layers and save it from extraction. We first remove the bad tissue from inside the tooth and then seal the tooth with a natural rubber-like material to keep bacteria from recolonizing inside. Thanks to modern dental techniques and technologies, this often feared procedure is now no more “excruciating” than getting a small filling.

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Dental Emergency FAQs 

woman with toothache talking to her emergency dentist in Forest

It goes without saying that a dental emergency in Forest can be stressful and confusing, especially if it’s your first time experiencing a situation like this. First things first, try to remain calm as you call our office. Our team will take it from there! We’ll do our utmost to schedule an appointment for you right away, but in the meantime, you may want to read through the answers to some of the emergency dentistry-related questions that we get asked the most often.

Are Toothpicks Safe to Use?

Contrary to what their name might suggest, most dentists would NOT recommend using toothpicks, especially if they’re made from wood. Not only is it all too easy to accidentally scratch your teeth and gum tissue with a toothpick, but wooden toothpicks could actually splinter and break off inside of your mouth. They could even end up pushing food debris even further down between the teeth or under the gums, which is the opposite of the intended effect. Worst of all, there’s a chance you could swallow a toothpick, which can be fatal.

In short, don’t use a toothpick except as a last resort. Our team can provide you with other tips over the phone to manage your symptoms until we can treat you with more professional, safer methods at our office.

Will My Toothache Go Away on Its Own?

Generally, toothaches do NOT go away on their own. Unlike most other parts of the body, teeth cannot usually heal themselves when they’ve become damaged or infected. This means that without treatment, your toothache will likely worsen to the point where you might need more expensive procedures than you would have by visiting us as soon as you noticed tooth pain.

How Should I Sleep with Tooth Pain?

If your toothache has become so excruciating that it prevents you from getting to sleep, that’s a sure sign that you should call us first thing in the morning. Until then, though, here are some tips for helping you sleep through a toothache at night:

  • Keep your head elevated with pillows to prevent blood from rushing to your head and worsening your tooth pain.
  • Avoid foods and drinks that are hot, cold, or acidic for a few hours before bed.
  • Take over-the-counter pain relievers as instructed on the label.
  • Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek for 10 minutes, then wait 10 minutes before applying it again. Repeat this process for up to one hour.

Should I Visit the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?

It seems logical to visit the emergency room for a dental emergency, right? Unfortunately, most ER doctors are not licensed to practice dentistry, so they can’t address specific dental problems. At best, they can prescribe pain medication or antibiotics, but they’ll often recommend that you see an emergency dentist in Forest anyway. To get the smile-saving care you need much more quickly, just call our office right away instead.

That being said, there are a few circumstances in which you’ll need to visit an ER for urgent treatment before we can begin focusing on oral health concerns. These include:

  • A fractured or dislocated jaw.
  • Severe, deep cuts to the face or mouth.
  • Swelling that affects your ability to breathe or swallow.

For virtually all other dental problems, your best bet is to contact us as soon as you can.

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