When you have pain, a fractured tooth, or another oral health concern that can’t wait, you need access to an effective, high-quality, 24 hour dentist.
San Francisco and Embarcadero patients choose Skoulas DDS because of our specialization in aesthetic dentistry and our ability to schedule appointments in a timely manner. With our cloud-based communication system, Dr. Skoulas is available even outside of office hours. Resolving your discomfort and helping you recover quickly are priorities for us.
Have you ever fractured a tooth and not known what to do? Most patients in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco don’t and may even wait in excruciating pain until their dentist’s office opens on Monday morning. The problem with this is that treatment can come too late and require more invasive procedures to restore your teeth back to the way they were.
What Do 24 Hour Dentists Do?
Emergency dentists offer an immediate appointment, squeezing you into the schedule without delaying your treatment. In addition to providing San Francisco and Embarcadero patients with additional appointments, Skoulas DDS has the capacity to:
- Treat traumatic injuries that involve the teeth, bone, and gums.
- Perform operations and immediately repair any damage.
- Strengthen or reset injuries to the jaw.
While an emergency dentist can help you with general dental problems, an emergency dentist is fully equipped to handle deeper injuries that involve the structure surrounding the teeth.
When Should You Contact a 24 Hour Dentist?
Patients in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco should get in touch with Skoulas DDS if they have intense discomfort or a timely reason for seeking treatment.
A majority of the patients we see are professionals who take advantage of our location in the financial district. They often need an emergency dentist to avoid missing work, whether it’s because of pain associated with an infected tooth or because a broken tooth could detract from a big presentation.
Contact our practice for emergency care if you have:
- Pain or sensitivity in your teeth or gums that can’t wait for typical office hours.
- Experienced a trauma, such as a fall, that has injured your mouth.
- Lost or chipped a tooth and need a replacement as soon as possible.
When Should I Seek Treatment from an Emergency Dentist?
Most patients are reluctant to request emergency dental care because they aren’t sure exactly what a dental emergency is. A 24 hour dentist is available to treat patients who are experiencing symptoms such as:
- Severe pain
- Swollen gums
- Jaw pain
- Bleeding from teeth or gums
If you are unsure if you need emergency dental treatment, then call Dr. Skoulas to help determine what you should do. Hesitating could cost you your tooth and several additional treatment steps.
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Common Reasons to Call an Emergency Dentist
San Francisco and Embarcadero patients are always on the move. From your career and friends to family and your hobbies, it’s often hard to fit in time to get your teeth cleaned and examined. What we often see with our emergency dental patients is some kind of accident or trauma to the mouth, gums, or teeth. The other common issue is that they have a problem with their teeth or gums, but simply don’t take the time to get it fixed. After a while, these small problems can balloon up into more extensive and costly illnesses that need immediate attention. Here are some of the most common procedures we perform for our emergency patients.
- Abscess – An abscess is a pocket of pus in the root of the tooth or under the gums. Some of the symptoms of an abscess are pain, swelling, redness, bad breath, and more. Abscesses are caused by tooth decay, gum disease, or trauma to the tooth. We often get calls early in the morning or late at night from patients suffering from pain caused by their abscess.
- Broken or traumatized tooth – When you break or crack a tooth, it can be incredibly painful, and you may need to call a 24-hour dentist. San Francisco and Embarcadero patients should get their broken or cracked teeth fixed immediately to avoid infection.
- Root canal – While some infections require the tooth be removed, a root canal saves the existing tooth while removing the infected “pulp.” The pulp is the inside of the tooth that is made up of nerves and blood vessels.
- Pain when biting or chewing – Another common emergency call we get is for general pain when the patient is biting, chewing, or even drinking something hot or cold. For an emergency dentist, San Francisco and Embarcadero patients calling about pain in their teeth is never a good sign. It usually means that there is an infection or the tooth is cracked. Either of these issues can lead to more serious complications which is why we try to get them taken care of as soon as possible.
- Wisdom teeth – When your wisdom teeth decide to come in it can cause a wide range of issues. One of the most common problems is called pericoronitis. In this case, the wisdom teeth do not fully erupt out of the gums. This allows food, bacteria, and plaque to get in under the flap of gums barely covering the wisdom teeth. This can cause an infection, inflammation, pus, pain, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. The treatment for this depends on how severe it is and sometimes warrants the services of an emergency dentist. Patients in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco should call Dr. Skoulas right away if they suspect that this is the case.
What to Do When You Lose a Tooth
Tooth loss can be the result of progressive decay or traumatic injury. This is one of the most critical dental emergencies and the one that demands you act fast to preserve the tooth. Until you can get to a 24 hour dentist you should:
- Gently hold the tooth by the crown, top of the tooth.
- Carefully rinse the tooth, keeping any tissue in place.
- Fit the tooth back into the socket and bite. If this isn’t possible then locate a container.
Most patients are amazed that a lost tooth can be replaced, but if you follow the above instructions and get in touch with Skoulas DDS’ emergency dentist, then you should be able to save the tooth.
What to Do When You Fracture or Crack a Tooth
A fractured and cracked tooth is also considered a dental emergency and will require immediate treatment for the best possible outcome. In many cases, a fractured or cracked tooth can be saved if an emergency dentist is contacted immediately. After you have gotten in touch with the emergency dentist you should:
- Rinse out your mouth with lukewarm water.
- Apply ice to your face if the fracture or crack is the result of trauma to the face.
- Take Tylenol (or another acetaminophen) to control pain and swelling.
You should not attempt to treat a fractured or cracked tooth yourself. Instead, schedule an appointment with your 24 hour dentist for the appropriate care.
Treatment During Your Emergency Dental Procedure
Coming in for emergency dental treatment is very similar to a normal dental appointment. You will:
- Receive a comprehensive oral examination, often including X-ray.
- Obtain immediate treatment for your problem.
- Receive prescriptions and instructions on how to care for your dental problem.
Depending on the extent, location, and condition of your injury or dental problem, you may require more than one follow-up treatment to ensure you heal properly.
When Can Your San Francisco Emergency Dentist See Me?
Dr. Skoulas can often schedule emergency appointments during the early morning, late in the day, or over the weekend. She can cater to unique scheduling requirements so that you can get back to work or other commitments without interruption.
Because of our location in the middle of the financial district, you may want to schedule an appointment before work, during a lunch break, or in advance of the commute home. Get in touch with our offices when a concern arises, and we will find a time that meets your needs.
After Your Emergency Dental Treatment
Depending on your injury or dental condition, you may require surgery to remove a tooth or alleviate swelling and pressure. In rare cases, you may require immediate oral surgery to prevent the structure and function of your teeth, jaw, and gums from deteriorating. If oral surgery is required, then you should designate a friend or relative to pick you up afterwards.
After your procedure, your dentist will provide you with additional instructions relating to aftercare and healing time. For most procedures, you will feel better right after treatment but still require a few days to a week to recover.
Additional Facts and Questions About Emergency Dentist Services
5 Simple Steps to Handle a Knocked Out Tooth
No one ever wants to have a tooth knocked out, but the reality is more than half of the United States population has experienced a missing tooth before. But just because having a missing tooth is common doesn’t mean the importance of getting it replaced immediately should be diminished. Most of the time there is nothing to worry about, especially when you have an emergency dentist in the Embarcadero and San Francisco areas available.
Knowing what to do when a tooth gets knocked out can make the tooth replacement process much easier. Assuming the lost tooth can be found, here are five things to do with it:
- Rinse the tooth off with water, but don’t dry it
- Only touch the crown of the tooth
- Put the tooth back into its socket, if possible
- Store the tooth in a cup of water or milk
- Call an emergency dentist
There are plenty of activities to take part in when living in San Francisco, and people should take full advantage of them. Knowing there’s an emergency dentist like Dr. Skoulas a phone call away gives people the peace of mind knowing immediate treatment is available if needed. Read more.
5 Common Reasons for Emergency Dental Care
With life’s unpredictability, a person in San Francisco and the Embarcadero area never knows when they’ll need an emergency dentist. Most of the time emergency dental care is needed because of a sudden and unexpected accident, like slipping and falling or getting injured during a sporting event or another outdoor activity.
There are plenty of reasons why dental emergencies happen, but people should see their emergency dentist when they experience any of the following:
- Losing a tooth completely
- A filling gets chipped or falls out
- Minor chipping of a tooth
- Breaking a significant part of a tooth
- Food lodged in the wrong place in the mouth or between teeth
People in San Francisco and Embarcadero have active lifestyles, so needing an emergency dentist at some point is more likely to happen than not. Any time these issues are experienced, it’s important to contact an emergency dentist as soon as possible to prevent further issues from occurring. A quick and immediate phone call could help you maintain your healthy teeth and lifestyle.
When Dr. Skoulas is your dentist, you can live an active lifestyle free of worry since she will always be there when you need her the most. Read more.
Emergency Dental Care for a Chipped Tooth
Chipping a tooth usually never happens during normal business hours for some reason. Since a chipped tooth commonly occurs as a result of an accident, it seems like the emergencies happen during the night and on weekends. But even if a person just trips and falls when they get out of bed in the morning, having access to a 24-hour dentist in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco is critical.
Knowing when to seek emergency dental care in the San Francisco and Embarcadero areas is important since every minute can make a big difference in the repair process. Patients sometimes don’t know whether their chipped tooth is major or minor, which is completely understandable. Emergency dental care isn’t always needed, but there’s never any harm in calling a 24-hour dentist for advice.
Most of the time a small chip won’t create a significant amount of discomfort, so visiting a dentist can wait until the next business day. However, if a larger portion of the tooth is chipped, it’s best to contact a 24-hour dentist like Dr. Skoulas to receive immediate attention and treatment. Either way, Dr. Skoulas can turn your chipped tooth into a natural-looking tooth you can enjoy for years to come. Read more.
What Is Considered a Dental Emergency?
Contrary to medical emergencies, a dental emergency generally isn’t a life or death situation. However, dental emergencies do exist in many different forms, and seeing a 24-hour dentist is extremely important when one occurs to preserve the short-term and long-term health of the teeth.
As with any type of emergency in San Francisco and the Embarcadero, people sometimes are unsure whether a particular circumstance can be classified as an emergency. The main situations that can be considered dental emergencies include:
- Losing a tooth
- Significant chipping or breaking of a tooth
- Experiencing extreme discomfort from a toothache
- Other trauma or reactions to the teeth or gums
Accidents happen all the time, which is why Dr. Skoulas is always available. Having a reliable 24-hour dentist gives patients the peace of mind to live their life normally without having to worry about what to do if a dental emergency occurs.
While it’s understandable that some people in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco think they can tough out a dental problem, it’s always best to give Dr. Skoulas a call. With a quick conversation, she can decide whether the situation is an emergency requiring immediate care or if treatment can take place the next business day. Read more.
How Do I Know When I Need an Emergency Dentist?
Dental emergencies can happen at any time, but many people in San Francisco and the Embarcadero aren’t sure whether their situation requires an emergency dentist or not. Depending on the level of discomfort a person feels after an accident, the answer may not be obvious.
There’s never any harm in contacting an emergency dentist, like Dr. Skoulas, for advice. In general, the situations which present the need for emergency dental care include:
- Needing a tooth replacement after losing or chipping a tooth
- Sustaining an injury that loosens a tooth
- Experiencing significant discomfort in the teeth or gums
Patients in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco don’t have to know immediately whether seeing an emergency dentist is needed. Dr. Skoulas is always available to answer any questions and help people determine whether their situation merits seeking emergency treatment, or if it’s possible to wait until the next business day.
Preserving teeth is the priority for Dr. Skoulas, so she will make her recommendations based on the severity of the issue. Prompt treatment can be the difference between a quick and easy fix or having to go through a longer repair process. Dr. Skoulas will get your teeth back to normal regardless of the circumstance. Read more.
If you have a pressing oral health or aesthetic problem, contact Skoulas DDS as soon as possible to see our emergency dentist.
