Dental Emergencies During the Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic

The team at Smile for Life Dental want to be here for you in cases of a dental emergency during this unprecedented and challenging time. While our office is currently closed for routine procedures and other elective dental care options, our dentists are on standby for dental emergencies and can treat patients who are suffering from concerns that require immediate attention.

In many cases, what qualifies as a dental emergency may vary; however, here is a list of conditions that could potentially require urgent treatment:

• Teeth that have become suddenly chipped, fractured, or damaged
• Teeth that have been knocked out or have become loose
• A toothache that doesn’t go away and/or becomes increasingly painful
• A lost filling or dental crown
• A broken dental restoration (such as a dental implant, dental crown, or bridge)
• An abscess in the oral tissues
• Painful, inflamed, bleeding, and/or swollen gums
• A broken dental appliance
• Severe jaw/TMJ pain

It is important to note that this list is not all-inclusive, and it is always best to give us a call if you think you may be experiencing a dental emergency of any kind. We can talk you through steps you may be able to take at home to address the problem, or we can set up a time for you to come to the office, where our dentist can provide urgent treatment.

It’s also helpful to make preparations in case a dental emergency arises. Gauze and cotton can be helpful to control bleeding until you are able to come to our office. If a tooth has fallen out, be sure to hold onto it at the top, not by the roots, and rinse off any debris (just rinse, don’t scrub). If it’s not possible to place the tooth back in its socket before you arrive at our office for treatment, you can rinse the tooth and place it in a container of milk to bring with you.

To reduce the chance of accidentally injuring your teeth, please be very careful when chewing hard foods or ice, or refrain from consuming certain types of hard foods altogether. Also, please don’t use your teeth to open bottles or packages!

Even though our office is closed, we have extended our hours for phone calls and we will certainly see patients who are in need of emergency dental care. Please don’t hesitate to call us at (847) 697-1111 for assistance. We are also now offering Virtual Consultations with Dr. Dean Lodding via Tele-Dentistry. This “online appointment” allows you to talk with Dr. Lodding by video without having to leave your home. Please don’t hesitate to call Smile for Life Dental if you have any questions.

As it has been said many times over the last few weeks: We are all in this together. Please stay healthy and safe as we all do our part to #flattenthecurve!