Emergency Dentist in Cherry Creek, Denver

Toothache

1. Rinse with warm water and gently floss around the tooth.
2. Hold a cold compress on your cheek if it is swollen. If swelling affects breathing or swallowing, spreads to the eye or neck, or comes with a fever, call 911 or go to the ER.
3. Ask a pharmacist or doctor about pain medicine. Do not put medicine on your gums or the tooth.

At DeWitt: An exam and x-ray help the dentist find the cause. Care may include a filling or root canal therapy.

General dentistry

Broken or chipped tooth

1. Rinse your mouth with warm water.
2. Save any pieces in a clean container and bring them with you.
3. Press gauze on any bleeding spot, and use a cold compress on your cheek for swelling.

At DeWitt: The dentist checks the tooth and takes an x-ray. A small chip may be fixed with a tooth-colored filling. A larger break may need a crown.

Tooth-colored fillings

Cracked tooth

1. Chew on the other side.
2. Skip very hard, hot, or cold foods.
3. Call during office hours, even if the pain comes and goes.

At DeWitt: Cracks can be hard to see, so the dentist looks closely and takes an x-ray. Care depends on the type of crack. Many cracked teeth need a crown, and some also need root canal therapy. If a tooth cannot be repaired, the dentist explains the options. For eligible cases, our in-office CEREC mill can complete the crown in one visit.

Dental crowns

Knocked-out tooth

1. Hold the tooth by the crown, not the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly without scrubbing.
2. Try to place it back in the socket and bite gently on clean gauze to hold it. If you cannot, keep it moist in milk, or in your mouth next to your cheek (not for young children, who could swallow it). Do not store it in water, wrap it in tissue, or let it dry out.
3. Time matters. Seeing a dentist within 30 minutes to an hour gives the tooth a better chance. Call us during office hours. If we are closed, no one answers, or we cannot see you within the hour, go to an ER or urgent care. Do not wait for a voicemail callback.
4. Never put a baby tooth back in. Call a dentist during office hours so your child can be checked.

At DeWitt: The dentist examines the tooth and takes an x-ray. If the tooth cannot be repaired, the dentist explains the options.

Lost filling or crown

1. Keep the crown in a clean container and bring it.
2. Do not use household glue to put it back.
3. Chew on the other side.

At DeWitt: The dentist checks the tooth underneath. Care may mean a new filling, putting the crown back on if it still fits, or a new crown.

One-visit crowns (for eligible cases) vs. traditional crowns

Swelling, a bump on the gum, or a possible abscess

1. Rinse with mild salt water and hold a cold compress on your cheek.
2. Do not press or pop a bump on the gum.
3. Call us during office hours. Gum or face swelling should be checked by a dentist soon, even if the pain eases.
4. Call 911 or go to the ER if swelling affects breathing or swallowing, spreads to the eye or neck, or comes with a fever. If swelling gets worse while we are closed, go to an ER or urgent care.

At DeWitt: An exam and x-ray help the dentist find the source. If root canal therapy is part of the plan, the dentist explains it first.

Root canal therapy

Cut or injury to the gums or lips

1. Gently clean the area with water.
2. Press clean gauze or a damp cloth on the spot with steady pressure for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Hold a cold compress on the outside of your lip or cheek.
4. Call 911 or go to the ER if bleeding will not stop after 10 to 15 minutes of steady pressure, or if the injury to the face, jaw, or head is serious. A deep or gaping cut may need stitches, so go to an ER or urgent care.

At DeWitt: Once the bleeding is under control, the dentist checks the area and nearby teeth, with an x-ray if needed.