Dental emergencies can strike without warning, causing intense pain and anxiety. At Polaris Family Dental in Columbus, OH, Dr. Jaclyn Winner and her dedicated team provide rapid, effective emergency dental care to protect your oral health and prevent further damage. Our mission is to treat every patient like family while offering high-quality, convenient care when you need it most.
Whether you experience a severe toothache, a broken or chipped tooth, or unexpected oral trauma, it’s important to seek immediate attention from an emergency dentist near you. Prompt care can reduce the risk of serious infection, tooth loss, or irreversible damage, ensuring that your dental treatment is both effective and comfortable.
What Qualifies as a True Dental Emergency
The American Dental Association describes a true dental emergency as a situation that is potentially life-threatening and requires immediate treatment. This includes issues that cause severe pain, stop active bleeding, or resolve a serious infection. If you have constant, throbbing pain that doesn’t get better with over-the-counter medication, you should seek help right away.
Common emergencies include:
- Severe tooth pain or intense toothache
- Cracked, chipped, or broken teeth
- Knocked-out teeth
- Lost fillings or crowns
- Dental abscess or facial swelling
- Trauma to soft tissue
While minor discomfort or temporary sensitivity is not always urgent, issues such as a severe infection, a broken tooth, or dental trauma require prompt attention. Not all dental pain warrants a trip to the emergency room—a qualified emergency dentist can provide faster, more targeted care in our dental office, reducing complications and improving outcomes.
Common Dental Emergencies
Many different dental issues can lead to an urgent situation. You might have a severe toothache that won’t go away, or you could suffer a dental injury while playing sports or from an accident at home. Understanding these common problems can help you react quickly and seek the emergency dental care you need. Quick action can often save a tooth, prevent further damage, and avoid more complicated treatments down the line.
Some of the most common dental emergencies people experience include:
- A cracked, chipped, or broken tooth
- A knocked-out tooth
- A lost filling or crown
- A painful dental abscess or severe infection
Other issues, such as soft tissue injuries, complications with wisdom teeth, or damage to dental restorations, may also require prompt attention. Each of these situations requires timely care from a skilled emergency dentist to relieve pain, prevent infection, and restore your oral health efficiently.
Immediate Steps to Take During a Dental Emergency
Knowing how to respond before reaching the dentist can make a difference. Here’s what to do for common emergencies:
Knocked-Out Tooth: Rinse the tooth gently with warm water, avoiding scrubbing the tooth roots. Preserve it in a glass of milk or saline and bring it to your emergency dental appointment immediately.
Chipped or Broken Tooth: Rinse your mouth and manage sharp edges with sugar-free gum or wax. Apply a cold compress to reduce facial swelling, and consider taking over-the-counter pain medication as needed.
Severe Tooth Pain: Rinse the affected area with warm water, apply a cold compress externally, and take over-the-counter pain relievers until you can receive urgent dental care. Avoid placing aspirin directly on the gum tissue, as this can irritate it.
Emergency Dentistry vs. ER Visits
When a dental emergency occurs, many patients wonder whether to visit an emergency dentist or the emergency room. While the ER is essential for life-threatening situations, most dental emergencies are more effectively treated at a dental office, such as Polaris Family Dental in Columbus, OH. Dr. Jaclyn Winner and her team are trained to handle such problems as severe toothaches, cracked or chipped teeth, lost fillings, broken crowns, and dental trauma with precision and care.
The ER is typically reserved for situations involving extensive facial swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, or signs of serious infection that threaten overall health. In contrast, an emergency dentist can provide targeted care quickly, often the same day, reducing pain, preventing further damage, and addressing the underlying cause efficiently.
Visiting an ER for non-life-threatening dental issues often results in temporary relief, like pain medication, without solving the root problem. In contrast, an emergency dentist can perform procedures such as tooth extractions, root canal therapy, or dental crowns, restoring tooth structure and function. Choosing an emergency dentist ensures professional, timely treatment while avoiding unnecessary ER visits, long waits, and incomplete care.
Treatment Options at Polaris Family Dental
At Polaris Family Dental, we offer a wide range of treatment options to handle your dental emergency. The type of treatment you receive will depend on your specific situation. Upon arrival, we will conduct a thorough examination and may take X-rays to determine the cause of your issue. From there, we will create a customized treatment plan to help restore your smile to its normal state.
Depending on your needs, your plan might include a simple tooth-colored filling, a dental crown to repair a broken tooth, or root canal therapy to treat a severe infection. In some cases, a tooth extraction may be necessary to protect your overall oral health. We can also discuss replacement options, such as dental bridges or dental implants. Our goal is to provide the dental services you need to relieve your pain and restore your smile.
How Quickly Can You Be Seen at Our Columbus Office
At Polaris Family Dental, we prioritize urgent cases and strive to see patients as quickly as possible, often on the same day. Our goal is to alleviate pain, prevent further damage, and restore your oral health efficiently. During your emergency appointment, Dr. Winner evaluates your situation, provides immediate treatment, and outlines the next steps for ongoing care.
Patients can feel confident knowing that whether they are dealing with severe tooth pain, a broken tooth, or dental trauma, their emergency dental needs will be addressed promptly by skilled dental professionals.
Emergency Care for Children
Dental emergencies in children require special attention to protect both primary and permanent teeth. At Polaris Family Dental in Columbus, OH, Dr. Jaclyn Winner offers gentle, effective emergency dental care specifically designed for young patients, ensuring a comfortable and reassuring experience. Common pediatric emergencies include knocked-out teeth, chipped or broken teeth, lost fillings, and dental trauma from falls or sports activities.
Parents should act quickly: for a knocked-out tooth, rinse it gently with warm water and preserve it in milk or saline until an emergency dentist can see the child. For chipped or broken teeth, applying a cold compress can help reduce swelling. Using sugar-free gum or dental wax can also temporarily cover sharp edges. Prompt attention helps prevent infection, misalignment, or long-term dental issues.
By addressing pediatric emergencies promptly, Dr. Winner protects children’s oral health, prevents tooth loss, and ensures the proper development of their natural teeth, giving them a healthy, confident smile that lasts into adulthood.
Maintaining Oral Health After a Dental Emergency
After receiving emergency dental care, it’s important to follow aftercare instructions to ensure proper healing and prevent future complications. Maintain excellent oral hygiene by brushing and flossing carefully around treated areas. Use pain relievers or cold compresses as directed to manage discomfort and swelling.
Monitor for any signs of infection or complications, such as prolonged facial swelling, persistent pain, or bleeding, and schedule follow-up visits as recommended. Avoid chewing hard foods on the affected side and consider protective gear if you participate in contact sports.
Consistent care and preventive practices help reduce the likelihood of future dental emergencies, supporting long-term oral health and maintaining a healthy smile for years to come.
Preventing Future Dental Emergencies
Preventing dental emergencies is one of the best ways to protect your oral health and avoid unnecessary pain or urgent dental care. At Polaris Family Dental in Columbus, OH, Dr. Jaclyn Winner emphasizes the importance of proactive measures to reduce the risk of tooth fractures, lost fillings, and dental trauma. Maintaining consistent oral hygiene is essential, which includes daily brushing and flossing, as well as regular visits to our dental office for cleanings and check-ups.
Avoid habits that place stress on your teeth, such as chewing ice, biting hard candies, or using your teeth to open packages. Wearing a mouthguard during sports or high-impact activities can also protect against cracked or chipped teeth. Additionally, scheduling routine exams allows Dr. Winner to identify weak spots, early decay, or gum issues before they turn into urgent problems. By taking these steps, patients can minimize the risk of emergency dental care, maintain healthy teeth, and preserve the appearance of their smile for years to come.
Call Us for Immediate Emergency Dental Care
Dental emergencies can’t wait. Whether you are experiencing a severe toothache, broken tooth, lost filling, or dental trauma, Dr. Jaclyn Winner and the team at Polaris Family Dental in Columbus, OH, provide prompt, compassionate emergency dentistry to protect your oral health and relieve pain quickly.
Don’t risk further damage or irreversible tooth loss. Call us at 614-714-6138 to schedule an appointment for emergency dentistry services and get the immediate care you need from a trusted emergency dentist.
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
At Polaris Family Dental, we recognize that dental emergencies can occur unexpectedly and require immediate attention. Our dedicated team in Columbus, OH, is prepared to provide prompt and compassionate care to address your urgent dental needs.
What qualifies as a dental emergency?
A dental emergency requires swift intervention to alleviate severe pain, prevent further complications, or save a tooth. Common dental emergencies include:
• Severe toothache: Intense, persistent tooth pain that hinders daily activities.
• Knocked-out tooth: A tooth that has been completely dislodged from its socket.
• Chipped or cracked tooth: Significant fractures that cause pain or expose the tooth’s inner layers.
• Abscess or swelling: Painful, swollen areas on the gums indicate infection.
• Lost filling or crown: Restorations that have fallen out, leaving the tooth vulnerable.
If you are experiencing discomfort or any of these symptoms, contact Polaris Family Dental to schedule an emergency appointment.
How quickly can I be seen during a dental emergency?
At Polaris Family Dental, we prioritize emergency cases and strive to see patients as promptly as possible, often on the same day. Our goal is to alleviate your pain and address the issue efficiently.
What can I expect during an emergency dental visit?
Upon arrival, our experienced team will assess your condition through a thorough examination and necessary X-rays. We’ll diagnose the problem and discuss the most effective treatment options to address your situation. We focus on providing immediate relief and formulating a plan for any required follow-up care.
Does insurance cover emergency dental treatments?
Coverage for emergency dental services varies by insurance plan. Our knowledgeable staff will assist you in understanding your benefits and work with you to ensure you receive the necessary care.
What are the consequences of avoiding an emergency dental appointment?
Delaying care can lead to worsening pain, infections that spread, permanent damage to teeth or gums, and more extensive (and expensive) treatment later on. Prompt attention can protect your health and help you avoid unnecessary complications.
When should you go to the emergency room for a dental emergency?
If you experience significant swelling or bleeding in your mouth or face, you should seek medical attention as quickly as possible, even before reaching out to our office. The same is true when you experience an injury to your teeth, jaw, face, or head. Additionally, you should go to the emergency room if you experience a dental emergency accompanied by a fever, chills, or difficulty breathing or swallowing.
If you have a dental emergency, contact Polaris Family Dental at 614-848-3384. We’re here to help you feel better.
