Broken Tooth Emergency Dental Care in the East Bay Area [Video Inside]

A broken tooth is more than just painful. When a tooth breaks, it may expose the inner layers of the tooth, including the dentin or, in more severe breaks, the pulp, which contains the nerves and blood vessels. When the pulp is exposed, bacteria can enter the tooth, increasing the risk of infection. Urgent dental care is essential to help relieve your pain and reduce the risk of infection. In many cases, it also improves the chances of saving the tooth. If you have a broken tooth, rinse your mouth with salt water, save any broken pieces, and text an emergency dentist as soon as possible.

When you find yourself in a dental emergency, like a broken or cracked tooth, Dr. Magno’s practice is ready to step in and protect your oral health. As an Emeryville emergency dentist who has served the East Bay area for over 25 years, she’s skilled at identifying the next step to take for each of her patients who are struggling with an urgent dental need. She wants to help ease your discomfort while providing care designed to support lasting results.

Broken Tooth? Take These Steps Now

When a tooth breaks, here’s what to do right away:

• Rinse your mouth gently with warm water or salt water to clean the area and wash away debris.
• If a piece of tooth broke off, save it in milk or your saliva in a clean container to bring to your emergency dental visit.
• If you’re bleeding, place clean gauze over the area and bite down gently for 10 minutes.

To manage swelling and discomfort until you can get to the dental office, follow these  do’s and don’ts:

• Do take over-the-counter pain relievers like Advil, Motrin, or Tylenol. Avoid aspirin for dental pain if you are bleeding, unless a physician has directed you to take it. This is important because aspirin may increase bleeding.
• Don’t place pain relievers directly on the gums. This can burn and irritate the gum tissue.
• Do cover sharp edges of a broken tooth with dental wax or sugar-free gum as a quick fix.
• Don’t expose your broken tooth to very hot or very cold temperatures.

For long-term relief, text or call Dr. Magno to address the damage before it worsens or results in you losing that tooth.

How an East Bay Emergency Dentist Treats Fractured Tooth Emergencies

When she sees you for an urgent dental visit, Dr. Magno can recommend the targeted treatment options for your smile. Treatment depends on the size and location of the broken tooth. It also depends on whether enough healthy tooth structure remains and whether the break has exposed the nerve.

If you saved a piece of the broken tooth, Dr. Magno might be able to bond it back into place. She might also restore the broken tooth with a crown. When a break exposes the tooth’s pulp, she may perform a root canal as part of the restorative treatment. If the tooth is too damaged to repair, Dr. Magno might recommend extracting the tooth and placing a dental implant and crown so you can still have a complete smile.

Emergency dentistry brings a wide range of problems through the door, and Dr. Magno is used to finding the right solution. She regularly sees patients with broken teeth and other common dental emergencies after car accidents, bike falls, and serious trips and falls. When she sees you for an urgent dental visit, she’ll examine your broken tooth. Based on her assessment, she will recommend the right intervention to alleviate discomfort and restore your smile.

Got a Broken Tooth? Text or Call Our East Bay Emergency Dentist Now

A broken tooth is very uncomfortable and can lead to pain, infection, and tooth loss when left unaddressed. However, by taking the right steps from the start, you can feel relief, as well as protect your oral health. Prompt treatment may improve the chance of saving the tooth. With that in mind, reaching out to an East Bay emergency dentist as soon as possible is the best step you can take for your teeth.

Dr. Magno has been helping patients in Oakland, Berkeley, and across the East Bay feel relief after injuries that result in broken teeth. Text or call 510-591-0091 to see Dr. Magno right away. For non-urgent dental visits, you can fill out a contact form online.