Do You Have a Toothache?

Same Day Appointment

Call our office as soon as possible if you are having a dental emergency, whether for toothache relief, a broken tooth, an abscess or any number of dental disorders.

At Willowdaile Cosmetic and Family, we have limited appointment times every weekday morning for emergencies. Depending on your condition, our dentists will do our best to see you the same day and to relieve your pain!

Toothache Relief

When a toothache suddenly flares up, it can be a very distracting pain. No one wants to suffer through it for long.

As Shakespeare wrote in “Much Ado About Nothing”:

“For there was never yet philosopher

that could endure the toothache patiently.”

Dental emergencies with toothache include:

  • Broken tooth or missing filling
  • Advanced tooth decay
  • Infected or abscessed tooth
  • Dry socket (a painful condition after extraction)
  • Need for a root canal

Sedative Fillings

When a tooth’s nerve becomes inflamed due to decay, a sedative filling can help ease your pain. A sedative filling contains a mild pain reliever along with zinc oxide, which has disinfecting properties.

Sedative fillings are only temporary, but they alleviate pain and provide the protection that you need. Once the inflammation has calmed, the affected tooth can be addressed with the appropriate dental care.

What Can You Do Before Your Appointment?

Some simple and effective actions include:

  • Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater.
  • Don’t apply aspirin to the area, as aspirin may damage your gums.
  • Cap a lost filling with temporary filling material (available at your local drug store) until you can reach our office.
  • Gently apply gauze to stop any bleeding. Make sure the gauze is moist before removing or it can disrupt the clot and initiate bleeding.
  • Apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth to reduce swelling and pain.
  • If your tooth has been knocked out, rinse it gently in cold water, and call us immediately for further instructions. The best chance of successfully saving the tooth is to be seen within one hour. Keep it in your mouth or milk to keep it hydrated and alive until you can come into the office.
  • For pain, take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol®, Aleve® or Advil® in the recommended dose. Alternating Aleve and Tylenol at recommended doses has been proven to control dental pain better than narcotics!
  • Never use a pin or sharp object to remove items caught between your teeth. Tie a knot in floss and gently floss the knot through the teeth. The knot will catch what is caught between the teeth and pull it out.
  • Swab the sensitive area with clove oil (also available at your local drug store).
  • Do not delay treatment. If you wait until your face or throat is swollen or warm, it may be best to go to the emergency room. You may require IV antibiotics and an infection could be life-threatening.

Call our office today at 919-479-5800 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Simran Kaur and Dr. Matthew Garcia and learn more about dental care in Durham, North Carolina.