Emergency Dentist – Tulsa, OK

Getting You the Help You Need ASAP

As an emergency dentist in Tulsa, Dr. Lindsey Hammond understands that when a dental injury occurs, time is of the essence. From pain to panic, it can be difficult to know what to do when faced with this type of situation. Fortunately, she and her team at Glisten Dental Care of Tulsa want to make sure you are prepared should you or a loved one experience a severe toothache, chipped or knocked-out tooth, or even a lost crown or filling. No matter the issue, it’s always best to call our office and alert us to the situation. This will allow us to get you the help you need in a timely manner. To find out more about how we can better assist you, please contact our dental office.

Why Choose Glisten Dental Care of Tulsa for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointments Available
  • Calming Sedation Dentistry Options In-House
  • Soft Tissue Laser Ensures More Comfortable Dental Care

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Woman holding her cheek in pain while talking to emergency dentist in Tulsa
  1. Call Us: The first step you should always take if you find yourself dealing with a dental emergency in Tulsa is to call our office. Dr. Hammond or one of our dental professionals will provide you with over-the-phone first aid guidance to prevent any more harm from coming to your smile and reduce your discomfort. We’ll also schedule your appointment for as soon as possible, typically within the same day you call.
  2. Get Evaluated: When you arrive, our team will conduct an examination to diagnose the problem at-hand. This can include a physical evaluation of your teeth and gums, X-rays, or even a cone beam CT scan.
  3. Receive a Treatment Plan: Based on our findings during your evaluation, Dr. Hammond will provide you with a treatment plan to address the problem.
  4. Undergo Treatment: When you consent to undergo treatment, our team will quickly get to work erasing your pain and restoring the health and appearance of your grin. Before you leave, we’ll schedule any necessary follow-up appointments.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Even if you aren’t sure whether your situation requires urgent care, we recommend calling our office. When small dental problems are left to progress, they can require more extensive services down the road, which is why we always recommend being on the safe side of the situation. Below, we’ve included some of the most common issues we treat as dental emergencies.

Toothaches

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? If your toothache has persisted for more than 24 hours, you’re experiencing a sharp pain when you bite down, your gums are bleeding, or you’re struggling with any other abnormal dental symptoms, then the answer is a resounding “yes.”

How You Should Handle a Toothache There are several ways to deal with a toothache depending on what is causing it to hurt. If there is a piece of food lodged between your teeth, you can use waxed dental floss to remove it or a water flosser (irrigator). However, if there is nothing stuck, it may be that there is an infection deep within the tooth caused by poor oral hygiene (i.e. decay). In that case, the best thing to do is schedule an appointment with us ASAP.

How We Treat Toothaches In the early stages, dental decay can be treated with a tooth-colored filling or dental crown. If it reaches the innermost layer (the pulp), root canal treatment will be necessary to prevent tooth extraction. Ultimately, the treatment we recommend will depend entirely on what we find during the oral exam.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

Cracked Tooth

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Even if the crack is small, it warrants an immediate call to our Tulsa dental office. Remember, this dental injury can quickly worsen, and we need to restore your tooth before that happens!

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth You shouldn’t touch the tooth with your finger, try to clean it with your toothbrush, or chew on that side of your mouth. Instead, rinse periodically with clean, room-temperature water, take an OTC pain reliever as directed, and get to our office for treatment as soon as you can.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth Fortunately, a cracked tooth can sometimes be protected with a dental crown, avoiding the need for a tooth extraction. If having your tooth pulled ends up being necessary, then we will discuss your tooth-replacement options as well, like a dental bridge or implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL BRIDGES

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Chipped/Broken Tooth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? If you fall off a bike, trip over your child’s toys, or just find yourself in a situation that results in a chipped or broken tooth, stay calm and assess your symptoms. If the damage is extensive or you’re in pain, then call our Tulsa dental team right away.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth Keeping a small amount of dental wax on hand will be beneficial in these situations, as you will need to cover the jagged edges of your tooth to prevent irritation or damage to your soft oral tissues. Make sure to also retrieve the broken/chipped piece(s) and bring them with you to your appointment.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth If possible, Dr. Hammond will re-bond it back to your natural tooth. If she is unable to do so, she can place an all-porcelain dental crown or veneer over the damaged tooth.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

LEARN MORE ABOUT VENEERS

Very Sensitive Teeth  

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? There does come a point where dental sensitivity warrants a visit with our emergency dentist. If your discomfort seems to be worsening, the sensitivity doesn’t seem to be tied to a specific trigger (like drinking really hot coffee), or you’re experiencing other abnormal dental symptoms, you should call us ASAP.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth In addition to avoiding hot beverages, like coffee, and cold foods, like ice cream, we recommend steering clear of acidic, spicy, and sugary items altogether. You might also find it helpful to stick to room-temperature water.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth First, we need to take X-rays and conduct a visual exam. Once we pinpoint what’s causing your dental sensitivity, we can review our findings as well as the treatment options available (i.e., tooth-colored filling, dental crown, root canal).

Knocked-Out Tooth  

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? If you knock out a tooth, you need to get to our dental office as quickly as possible. After about two hours, the tooth may no longer be viable and will not be put back into place. So, don’t hesitate to call our Tulsa dental team so we can schedule a time for you to come in for an exam and the necessary treatment ASAP.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth If your tooth fell to the floor, then pick it up by the crown (the chewing surface) and rinse off any dirt/debris. If possible, try to reinsert it back into the socket. If unsuccessful, keep it in a container of milk or place it inside your mouth between your cheek and gums to keep it moist until you arrive at our office.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth Our first priority is always trying to save your tooth. If that’s not feasible, then we will need to find another way to restore the look, health, and function of your smile, like filling the open space with a dental bridge or implant.

Lost Filling or Crown  

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Yes, both a lost filling and a lost dental crown warrant an immediate call to our Tulsa dental office. That way, we can re-cement your restoration back in place or provide you with a new one before your tooth breaks or an infection develops.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown If you lose a dental filling or crown, they can temporarily be put back in place with dental cement, which can be purchased at your local drugstore. You will need to make an appointment with Dr. Hammond as soon as possible, however, because allowing a lost crown to remain untreated can cause your nearby teeth to shift and make it more difficult for her to replace.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns The vast majority of the time, a lost dental filling is simply replaced with a new one. As for a lost dental crown, there are two options: re-cementing your restoration back in place or having a new one made and providing you with a temporary one in the meantime.

Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Since a broken denture can’t be worn – and your bite, speech, and smile are negatively impacted without it – it does warrant a call to our Tulsa dental office.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture Instead of wearing your denture, place it in its case for safekeeping and stick to soft foods in the meantime. Do NOT use superglue to try and repair them.

How We Treat Broken Dentures If we can repair your dentures at our office, then we will. If it’s broken to the point where our only option is to replace it, then we will have a new traditional or implant denture made.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTURES

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Loose Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes! After all, the longer you wait to call, the higher the chances are of the tooth falling out completely.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth First, do NOT chew on that side of your mouth. Second, rinse your mouth periodically with clean, room-temperature water to help prevent an infection.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth In some cases, we can use a dental splint to save your tooth. If our only option is to extract it, then we will place a dental bridge or implant in its place.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL BRIDGES

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Gums, Lips or Tongue Injury

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Not usually. However, there is an important exception: if the cut is bleeding uncontrollably (even after applying pressure).

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue Use clean, cool water to thoroughly clean the cut. Then, grab a damp washcloth or some gauze and apply pressure to the area.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue If you take the above steps, the bleeding should stop within 10 minutes. If it doesn’t, then you need to seek medical attention at the ER or call 911.

Jaw Pain or Clenching

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Although you shouldn’t ignore jaw pain, it also doesn’t immediately warrant a visit to our Tulsa dental office. That’s why we recommend monitoring your symptoms closely.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain Try using a cold compress, sticking to soft foods, and taking OTC pain medication as directed. If it persists or seems to be getting worse, call us ASAP to schedule an exam.

How We Treat Jaw Pain Most of the time, chronic jaw pain is the result of teeth grinding, TMJ dysfunction, or impacted wisdom teeth. We’ll conduct a thorough exam and determine the best way to proceed from there.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TMJ TREATMENT

LEARN MORE ABOUT BOTOX

Something Stuck Between Teeth

Is something stuck between your teeth resulting in considerable discomfort? If so, dissolve some salt in warm water and rinse the mixture around in your mouth for 20 seconds at a time. Then, grab your floss of choice and use it to gently clean between your teeth. If that doesn’t work, don’t reach for the tweezers or a toothpick; call us to schedule an appointment.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

Dental team member showing man where to sign on clipboard

The cost of your emergency dental appointment will depend on the diagnosis you receive and treatments you require to address the issue. Before you receive any service, our team will provide you with a detailed cost estimate of the process so you know what to expect. We’re happy to be an in-network dental office with many major PPO plans and we partner with CareCredit to offer flexible financing.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Woman smiling while flossing her teeth

While there’s no way to completely avoid experiencing a dental emergency, there are several steps you can take to reduce your chances of needing to visit an emergency dentist in Tulsa, such as:

  • Visit your dentist for checkups and cleanings every six months.
  • Maintain a good at-home dental hygiene routine by brushing twice daily and flossing once a day.
  • Eat a balanced diet that isn’t excessive in carbohydrates and sugars.
  • Stay hydrated with water throughout the day.
  • Never use your teeth to open packages or chew on hard items like pencils.
  • Protect your teeth if you play contact sports.

Dental Emergency FAQs

Dental emergencies rarely happen at a convenient time, so many people are often unprepared for them. Thankfully, Dr. Hammond has gathered some of the most common questions about urgent dental care below for your convenience. If you don’t see the answer you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to call us here at Glisten Dental Care of Tulsa right away to get your oral health back on track!

When is a toothache considered a dental emergency?

While all dental pain or discomfort should be looked at in a timely manner, some toothaches are warning signs of a larger issue that need immediate attention from your Tulsa emergency dentist. Your toothache needs urgent dental care right away if it’s accompanied by:

  • Swelling in the face, gums, jaw, or neck.
  • Intense pain that lasts for more than 1-2 days.
  • Darkening or discoloration of the painful tooth.
  • Inflamed, sore, and easily bleeding gum tissue.
  • A small, pimple-like bump on the gums.

Will I need a root canal or tooth extraction?

The only way to tell if you need a root canal or tooth extraction is to come visit us at Glisten Dental Care of Tulsa. If your tooth is seriously infected, it can pose a threat to the rest of your mouth as well as your overall well-being.

To eliminate the harmful bacteria while preserving as much of your natural tooth as possible, Dr. Hammond may recommend a root canal to remove all the infected tissue. However, if the tooth cannot be saved, tooth extraction may be needed to prevent the infection from spreading and damaging the rest of your smile. While Dr. Hammond will do everything she can to avoid these treatments, your health is her top priority. She has the experience and training to perform either procedure right here in our Tulsa practice to quickly relieve your pain and correct the issues at-hand.

I have a dental emergency but visiting the dentist makes me anxious. Can you help?

If routine dental care tends to make you feel anxious, you may be very reluctant to seek help even amid a dental emergency. However, you can feel more confident knowing that we always go above and beyond to make every appointment as pleasant as possible. In some cases, Dr. Hammond may offer sedation dentistry options to take the stress out of your visit so you can comfortably sit back and relax while we repair your smile.

Should I go to the ER or an emergency dentist?

In nearly every case, you should bring your urgent dental situation to your emergency dentist for the fast, efficient, and specialized care you need. However, there are a few situations that should be stabilized by your local ER first, including:

  • Broken or dislocated jaw.
  • Deep laceration that won’t stop bleeding.
  • Swelling in the mouth or face that’s causing difficulties swallowing or breathing.