Emergency Dentist – Whiting, IN

Providing Same-Day Dental Care When You Need It the Most

When you break a tooth, develop a severe toothache, or experience any other out-of-the-ordinary dental situations, it’s important to have a trustworthy emergency dentist in Whiting that you can call. Our team at United Dental Centers of Whiting provides same-day emergency dental care for patients in need, helping you get out of pain as fast as possible and restoring your smile to its original state. If you find yourself in urgent need of dental attention, call our dental office immediately.

Why Choose United Dental Centers of Whiting for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointments
  • We Accept Medicaid & Insurance
  • Oral Conscious Sedation Available

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Dental patient holding the side of her face in pain

The first step you should always take if you find yourself in the middle of dealing with a dental emergency in Whiting is to call our office. Once you arrive, we’ll examine your mouth and capture digital X-rays to be able to diagnose the problem at hand and create a treatment plan. Once we’ve walked you through the situation and provide you with a cost estimate for your emergency dental treatment, we’ll quickly address your discomfort and any dental concerns. Before you leave, one of our front desk staff will help schedule any follow-up visits that you may need.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

It can be difficult to know what type of situation requires urgent dental attention, which is why our team has compiled some of the most common dental problems we address below. A great rule of thumb is to contact our office whenever you’re in doubt. That way, our team can help you determine whether you need same-day dental care, or we can schedule an appointment for you at your earliest convenience.

Toothaches

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? Minor aches are normal from time to time. That said, if your pain persists for more than 24 hours, your gums are bleeding, it hurts to bite down, or you’re experiencing other warning signs of trouble, you shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to our Whiting dental team. Once we know a little more about what’s going on, we can determine if an emergency visit is necessary.

How You Should Handle a Toothache Saltwater rinses, cold compresses, and over-the-counter pain medication will help you alleviate your discomfort in the short-term. It’s also important that you avoid anything that could exacerbate your symptoms, like spicy foods. Of course, for long-term relief, you need to come to our office so we can pinpoint (and treat) the root of the problem.

How We Treat Toothaches Once you arrive at our office, we will ask you a few questions about your symptoms, take a look at your X-rays, and conduct an oral exam so we can determine what’s causing your toothache. Then, we can review your treatment options, like a tooth-colored filling, dental crown, or root canal. We will also share our recommendations and answer any questions you have so you feel completely confident with your treatment plan.

Chipped
Tooth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Chipped teeth do warrant a visit to our office. However, same-day care isn’t always necessary. For example, if the damage is minor and you aren’t in any pain, then getting an appointment on the calendar before the end of the week should suffice.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth To reduce the chances of the tooth breaking further or your tongue, cheeks, or lips from getting cut, you should place some sugar-free gum or dental wax over it. If you’re experiencing soreness or sensitivity, you can also take OTC pain medication as directed.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth Very minor chips can usually be fixed with direct bonding. That said, the treatment we recommend will also depend on the location of the tooth. For example, if one of your front teeth has a serious chip, we may recommend a veneer instead.

Cracked Tooth  

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Not only does a cracked tooth result in considerable soreness, sensitivity, and discomfort, but an infection can develop and the damage can get worse quickly. For all of those reasons, we recommend contacting us ASAP. Our goal is to alleviate your pain and provide the necessary restorative care while your tooth can still be saved!

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth Basically, you want to avoid doing anything that could exacerbate your symptoms or damage your tooth further. A few examples include drinking hot beverages and eating spicy foods. Instead, avoid chewing on that side of your mouth, rinse periodically with clean, room-temperature water, and take OTC pain medication as directed until your appointment.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth Hopefully, we’ll be able to save your tooth with a dental crown. If that’s not an option, then we will need to carefully extract it (after thoroughly numbing your mouth, of course). Then, we can discuss your tooth-replacement options, like a dental implant.

Sensitivity to
Hot & Cold

Knocked-Out
Tooth

Lost Filling
or Crown

Broken
Denture

Loose
Tooth

Gums, Lips or
Tongue Injury

Jaw Pain or
Clenching

Something Stuck
Between Teeth

Toothaches  

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? Minor aches are normal from time to time. That said, if your pain persists for more than 24 hours, your gums are bleeding, it hurts to bite down, or you’re experiencing other warning signs of trouble, you shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to our Whiting dental team. Once we know a little more about what’s going on, we can determine if an emergency visit is necessary.

How You Should Handle a Toothache Saltwater rinses, cold compresses, and over-the-counter pain medication will help you alleviate your discomfort in the short-term. It’s also important that you avoid anything that could exacerbate your symptoms, like spicy foods. Of course, for long-term relief, you need to come to our office so we can pinpoint (and treat) the root of the problem.

How We Treat Toothaches Once you arrive at our office, we will ask you a few questions about your symptoms, take a look at your X-rays, and conduct an oral exam so we can determine what’s causing your toothache. Then, we can review your treatment options, like a tooth-colored filling, dental crown, or root canal. We will also share our recommendations and answer any questions you have so you feel completely confident with your treatment plan.

Cracked Tooth  

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Not only does a cracked tooth result in considerable soreness, sensitivity, and discomfort, but an infection can develop and the damage can get worse quickly. For all of those reasons, we recommend contacting us ASAP. Our goal is to alleviate your pain and provide the necessary restorative care while your tooth can still be saved!

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth Basically, you want to avoid doing anything that could exacerbate your symptoms or damage your tooth further. A few examples include drinking hot beverages and eating spicy foods. Instead, avoid chewing on that side of your mouth, rinse periodically with clean, room-temperature water, and take OTC pain medication as directed until your appointment.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth Hopefully, we’ll be able to save your tooth with a dental crown. If that’s not an option, then we will need to carefully extract it (after thoroughly numbing your mouth, of course). Then, we can discuss your tooth-replacement options, like a dental implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Chipped Teeth  

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Chipped teeth do warrant a visit to our office. However, same-day care isn’t always necessary. For example, if the damage is minor and you aren’t in any pain, then getting an appointment on the calendar before the end of the week should suffice.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth To reduce the chances of the tooth breaking further or your tongue, cheeks, or lips from getting cut, you should place some sugar-free gum or dental wax over it. If you’re experiencing soreness or sensitivity, you can also take OTC pain medication as directed.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth Very minor chips can usually be fixed with direct bonding. That said, the treatment we recommend will also depend on the location of the tooth. For example, if one of your front teeth has a serious chip, we may recommend a veneer instead.

LEARN MORE ABOUT VENEERS

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

Man in light blue shirt talking to dental team member at front desk

The cost of your emergency dental visit will depend on what type of treatment you need, which we can only determine once we’ve had a chance to examine your mouth and capture X-rays. We make sure that accessing emergency dentistry is as stress-free as possible by accepting most dental insurance PPO plans and offering additional financing through trusted, third-party financers like CareCredit.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Young woman smiling while flossing her teeth

While there’s no secret to completely avoiding dental emergencies that we can offer you, there are several preventive measures you can take in your day-to-day life to minimize your chances of needing emergency dentistry. Here are some of our recommendations:

  • Visit us every six months for a dental checkup and teeth cleaning.
  • Don’t bite or chew on hard items or foods and candies.
  • Wear a protective mouthguard if you play contact sports.
  • Protect your teeth from nightly grinding if you’re affected by bruxism.
  • Maintain a good oral hygiene routine at home.

Dental Emergency FAQs

What Does Chronic Bad Breath Mean?

Oftentimes, chronic bad breath is due to one of two things: diet or oral hygiene. So, if you’re struggling with a persistent, unpleasant odor, consider removing pungent foods from your diet (i.e., garlic, pickles, onions) and committing to good oral hygiene habits, like flossing and rinsing with mouthwash each morning. If you continue to have trouble, give us a call. The root of the problem may be an untreated oral health problem or halitosis.

What if My Toothache Suddenly Disappears?

A toothache that suddenly disappears isn’t the good news you might be hoping it is. After all, tooth decay, periodontal disease, and other serious dental problems won’t heal with time; they need to be treated by a dental professional! So, if you aren’t experiencing any discomfort, soreness, or sensitivity anymore, it’s likely because the nerve has been “killed” by the infection. Since it’s only a matter of time until the rest of your smile is negatively impacted, it’s important that you call our dental team near Whiting right away to get an emergency exam on the calendar.

Should I Visit the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?

Since hospitals don’t usually have dentists on-staff, you shouldn’t go to the ER if you have a toothache, your gums are bleeding, or a filling is loose. That said, there is an exception: if you are experiencing potentially life-threatening symptoms. If you have a cut that is bleeding uncontrollably, you’re having trouble swallowing, or you have fractured your jaw, you should call 911 or go to the ER right away.

Should I Worry About a Chipped Tooth If It Doesn’t Hurt?

Even if you aren’t in pain, you should schedule an appointment with us if you chipped a tooth. That way, we can conduct an exam to determine if there’s a risk of infection or the break getting worse. We can also review your treatment options at this time, like direct bonding, to restore the appearance of your smile too.

Is It Safe to Repair Dentures with Superglue?

Since superglue is a powerful adhesive, you might think it’s a good idea to use it in a jam. However, it contains toxins that are not safe to ingest, which is why you shouldn’t use it to repair dentures or any other restorations you have. The best thing to do is contact our Whiting dental team so we can get the ball rolling on repairing or replacing it ASAP.

Will a Toothache Go Away on Its Own?

No, pain stemming from a cavity, gum disease, or a damaged restoration will not go away. The only way to alleviate discomfort, sensitivity, and soreness is by getting the necessary restorative care. Until your appointment, don’t chew on that side of your mouth, stick to room-temperature water, and take OTC pain medication as directed to avoid exacerbating your symptoms.