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Pain is one of the main reasons people go to the dentist.
If you’re not sure if a dental problem is an emergency we say
"If it hurts, it’s an emergency"
Not all damage is evident to the eye and any trauma or pain should be checked out by a dentist as soon as possible.
Any obvious damage to a tooth should be treated as soon as possible. Chips or fractures can affect the living tissue inside the tooth, causing more problems in the future. The dentist can prevent the damage from getting worse.
Smiles is open 364 days of the year so help is only a matter of hours away.
Call 1850 323 323 in Dublin 1 or 01 525 0800 in Dundrum
Open 7 days per week or see your nearest clinic to book an appointment.
- Do I have an Abscess?
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If you are experiencing swelling or pain it could be an abscess. In such instances you should contact a dentist straight away. If this happens outside of practice hours, rinse your mouth with hot salt water to keep the area clean and take, where permitted, whatever pain relief you would normally take for a headache. Usually you will need to take an antibiotic to reduce/remove the abscess before you can have dental treatment. Don’t be fooled that once the abscess/pain is gone that you can leave it untreated. Abscesses are caused by infections, which if left untreated will re-occur. |
- I have Fractured or Lost my Tooth what should I do?
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If you have an accident where you break/fracture or lose a tooth, again you should contact a dentist straight away, to get the next available emergency appointment. A fractured tooth can be quite simply fixed with a composite (white) filling. In more difficult instances where the fracture is below the gum line you may need to have a crown or in the case of trauma where the nerve is damaged you may also need root canal treatment. Did you know, if your tooth completely comes out, in some cases if the tooth is put back into the gum immediately after loss, it can be saved. Don’t be afraid to put the tooth back in yourself. Roll up some kitchen roll and bite down keeping pressure on the tooth until you see the dentist. If the tooth can be saved we will use a small splint to hold the tooth in place, frequently accessing the tooth for damage/trauma. |
- My Filling/Crown fell out?
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If your filling or crown is loose or falls out contact a dentist straight away. In simple cases it will just need to be replaced or re-cemented (in the case of a crown). If left untreated it could lead to more extensive treatment down the line. |
- I have a Toothache:
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All too often most of us wait until we are in pain to go to the dentist. More often than not a toothache is an indication that things have gone too far. Which is why your 6 month check-ups are so important, prevention is always better than a cure where your teeth are concerned. A toothache seems to flare up at the most inopportune times, at night or weekends, or worst of all around the holidays i.e. Christmas. At Smiles we are open 364 days a year with flexible 8am-8pm shifts. If you experience a toothache contact us immediately and we will see you as quickly and conveniently as we can. |
- Trauma:
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If you or a friend or family member has an accident or fall, which results in any impact with a tooth or teeth, you should contact a dentist immediately. The teeth may not be visibly damaged or broken, but trauma can result in nerve damage which can lead to discolouration, need for possible root canal treatment and restorative crown. This can be detected with a simple examination and x-ray. |
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