What to do in a Dental Emergency - Dr. Audrey Maiurano, DDS
Having a Medical Emergency?
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Having a Dental Emergency?
In the event of a dental emergency, please call the office at (703) 455-5555 and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. If the office is closed and you are experiencing pain that is not alleviated by over-the-counter pain relievers, please listen to the automated recording when calling the office and select the appropriate option to reach Dr. Maiurano's emergency number. Dr. Maiurano will try to get back to you as soon as she can with instructions.
Read below if you are experiencing any of the following:
Knocked Out Tooth
If the tooth is covered in dirt, rinse it gently with water. Do not scrub or touch the root of the tooth while rinsing with water. If you can, try to put the tooth back in place, but do not force it into place. If the tooth cannot be reinserted, place the tooth in one of the following:
- Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution (if available)
- A container of milk
- A cup of water with a pinch of salt
The tooth has the highest chance of being saved if a dentist is able to put the tooth back into place properly within one hour.
Broken Fillings or Crowns
In the event of a broken filling or crown, call the office as soon as possible. If you have a dislodged crown, please contact us and bring the crown with you at your next appointment.
Broken Teeth
Gently rinse out your mouth with warm water. If bleeding is present, compress the area by biting down on gauze for about 10-15 minutes until bleeding stops and call the office as soon as possible. Be careful not to cause further injury by biting on anything hard.
Broken Partials or Dentures
If any portion of your partial or denture has broken, please do not wear it. Proper denture repair can take a long time and may require several steps and materials. Please call the office and leave a detailed message about your broken denture so that we can be as fully prepared as we can for your visit. Be sure to bring as many of the pieces you can to your next appointment. If the damage to your denture can be fixed chair-side, we will try our best to have it for you before you leave. Usually for the best long-lasting repair, dentures need to be sent out to a laboratory, which could take between a few days to a few weeks, depending on the repair needed.