It may come as a surprise to many of his patients, but Dr. Alexander Ash of Studio Dental Care is one of the most experienced emergency dentists in Los Angeles. While most work with him and the team to prevent and treat their normal oral health issues, emergencies are quite common and we are one of the few practices to make a dentist available 24/7. If you have any of the following happen, call us immediately at 818/763-4444.
A tooth is suddenly lost or knocked out.
Whether due to a sports injury, an auto accident, a fall or other trauma, if you can find the tooth, hold it by the top (the broad part, not the narrow tip), wash it in warm water, and put it back into the socket. Alternatively, you could hold it between your cheek and gums or place it in milk until you arrive. You can also go to an urgent care clinic or emergency room at a hospital. If a child loses a baby tooth, wash out the mouth with salt water and schedule a non-emergency appointment.
Teeth become chipped or fractured.
Whether due to being on the receiving end of a baseball or biting into extremely hard nuts or candy, teeth can be easily chipped or even broken. If in severe pain, you should take ibuprofen or aspirin, place a cold compress on and off the outside of the mouth where the injury is to prevent swelling, and call us or visit urgent care. If there is minimal pain or bleeding, the tooth still needs to be treated to avoid further damage to the inside of the tooth, but you may prefer to take care of this by making an appointment when it is convenient.
A dental crown or bridge comes off.
This usually is not a serious emergency, so you can just put Vaseline or a dental adhesive gel (such as for dentures) on the inside of the crown, place it on top of the tooth, and bite down gently. You can also temporarily reattach the bridge. But set a non-emergency appointment as soon as possible and until then chew carefully. Likewise, if you lost the crown or bridge, you need to come in to have it remade.
A filling falls out.
Clean the cavity with saltwater and schedule a non-emergency appointment. Bring in the filling only if it is gold or ceramic.
Of course, prevention is the best medicine, so brush for two minutes after breakfast and dinner, floss thoroughly before you go to sleep, avoid chewing ice or hard foods, do not use your teeth to hold or cut anything, and wear a customized mouth guard (which we can create) when playing any sports.
By Alexander Ash, DDS
Dr. Ash is the founder of Studio Dental Care. He earned his Doctorate at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, followed by two General Residencies at New York-Presbyterian / Weill-Cornell Hospital and the UCLA Sepulveda VA Hospital.