Emergency dentist, Portland
When a tooth hurts, call. We hold time every day for this.
Call (207) 555-0164 during office hours and we will see you the same week, usually the same day. Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Patients of record have an after-hours line to the on-call dentist on their welcome sheet. For a life-threatening injury, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room first.
- Emergency time held in the schedule every day
- Same-week visits, often same-day, during office hours
- An after-hours line for patients of record
- What to do right now, by situation, below
- A written estimate before any treatment beyond the emergency exam
Or call (207) 555-0164 Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 1:00 pm
Right now
What to do before you get here, by situation.
General first-aid steps. They are not a diagnosis; call us.
Toothache
Rinse with warm water, floss gently to clear anything stuck, and take the pain reliever you normally take. Do not put aspirin on the gum. Call; a tooth that hurts on its own at night is usually seen the same day.
Chipped or broken tooth
Rinse, save any piece in milk or water, and cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or wax from the drugstore. Avoid chewing on that side. Call for a same-week visit; same day if it hurts.
Knocked-out adult tooth
Time matters. Hold it by the crown, not the root, rinse briefly without scrubbing, and put it back in the socket if you can, or in milk. Call immediately; this is seen at once during office hours. Baby teeth are not put back.
Lost crown or filling
Keep the crown. Temporary dental cement from the drugstore can hold it until we see you. Avoid sticky and hard food. Call for a same-week visit.
Swelling
Swelling of the face or jaw, especially with fever or trouble swallowing, needs attention today. Call us during office hours; outside them, go to the emergency room. Swelling that affects breathing is a 911 call.
Bleeding that will not stop
After an extraction, bite on gauze or a damp tea bag for twenty minutes without checking. If it continues, call the after-hours line or go to the emergency room.
When you call
Three things happen.
Naomi asks what is going on
Where it hurts, how long, whether there is swelling or a fever, and whether you are a patient of record. She tells you what to do right now.
You get a time today or this week
Emergency time is held in the schedule every day. A tooth that hurts on its own, a knocked-out tooth or swelling are seen the same day during office hours.
The emergency exam, then a written estimate
The dentist finds the cause, deals with the pain, and explains the options. Anything beyond the emergency exam and immediate relief gets a written estimate before it is done.
Emergency room or dentist
When to go to the hospital instead.
Call 911 or go to the emergency room first
A jaw that may be broken, swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, a head injury with the tooth injury, or any injury from a serious accident. The hospital treats the emergency; we see you for the teeth afterwards.
Call us
A toothache, a broken or knocked-out tooth, a lost crown or filling, a broken denture, swelling without fever or breathing trouble, or pain after dental work.
After hours
Patients of record have a line to the on-call dentist.
If you are a patient of the practice, your welcome sheet carries an after-hours number that reaches the dentist on call, Dr. Marsh or Dr. Pelletier. They will tell you what to do tonight and get you in first thing. We do not claim a 24-hour clinic, because we are not one.
If you are not yet a patient and it is after hours, go to the emergency room for anything serious, and call us at 7:00 am. Emergency time is held every morning.
Can you see me today?
Usually, during office hours. Emergency time is held in the schedule every day. Call (207) 555-0164 and Naomi will tell you what is open and what to do right now.
I am not a patient yet. Can I still come in?
Yes, during office hours. The after-hours line is for patients of record only; if it is after hours and serious, go to the emergency room and call us at 7:00 am.
What does an emergency visit cost?
The emergency exam and X-ray have a set fee that Naomi tells you on the phone. Anything beyond immediate relief gets a written estimate before it is done, even in an emergency.
My child knocked out a baby tooth. What now?
Do not put a baby tooth back in. Rinse the mouth, press gently with gauze if bleeding, and call us. We will check the area and the adult tooth underneath, usually the same day.
Should I go to the emergency room for a toothache?
Not usually. Hospitals can manage pain and infection but do not treat the tooth. Call us during office hours. Go to the emergency room for swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, a possible broken jaw, or uncontrolled bleeding.
Next step
If a tooth hurts, you have read enough. Call.
Office hours Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday to 1:00 pm. For anything life-threatening, 911 first.
or call (207) 555-0164
Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 1:00 pm