85 North Park Avenue Rockville Centre, NY 11570
(516) 763-4500
85 North Park Avenue Rockville Centre, NY 11570
(516) 763-4500
When you have kids, you’ve collected the phone numbers of health care providers you may need in a hurry. And when your youngsters already know their family dentist, an emergency call won’t be as frightening. Even when you or another adult in your family experiences a fall or accident that leaves you with tooth or jaw pain, it’s ideal to visit Dr. Adam Shoukry, who already knows your medical and dental history and can get right to the treatment you need.
Conditions that commonly create a dental emergency include:
Our caring and knowledgeable dental team can provide expert advice over the phone to help you cope with the emergency in the short term until you can get to the dental office to see Dr. Adam Shoukry. When you see our dentist, he can gently examine your mouth, diagnose the reason and provide emergency toothache relief or other appropriate care that will quickly help you feel more comfortable. You will probably need a follow-up visit for restorative dentistry.
Some situations require urgent dental care, and prompt treatment could make all the difference between saving and losing a tooth, while other circumstances don’t need such immediate treatment. We’ve listed some of the most common dental emergencies below and useful advice on coping with the problem in the short term.
The pain of toothache can be excruciating and may occur as a continually throbbing sensation or discomfort whenever you try to bite or chew on the affected tooth. Initially, try gently flossing around the tooth in case there is impacted food that is slightly dislodging the tooth and causing discomfort. This can be enough to cause toothache.
If this doesn’t help, please contact us immediately to schedule an urgent dental care appointment. In the meantime, you can take over-the-counter painkillers to relieve the discomfort, but you should never place painkillers or aspirin directly on the gum nearest the tooth as this could burn the gum.
It is especially important to seek toothache treatment because it can often indicate a dental infection, where the inner part of the tooth, the tooth nerve, is inflamed and infected. Sometimes the pain may disappear, so you might think the infection has cleared up on its own, but it is more likely that the tooth nerve has died. A dental infection cannot clear up without proper professional dental care, and the sooner you come to see us, the more likely we can save the infected tooth.
When you come to see us for emergency dental care, we can gently examine the tooth, diagnose the reason for your toothache and provide immediate pain relief.
When a tooth infection isn’t properly treated, the infection can spread into the tooth root and the bone and gum around the tooth. By this stage, the gum around the tooth will most likely look very red and swollen and could feel tender to touch. It could also have a pimple that feels painful if you touch it, and this is where pus created by the infection is trying to escape.
An abscess is a dental emergency because the infection can spread to the rest of your body in rare cases.
It’s especially important to seek urgent dental care if you:
If you can’t get to see us immediately, you must go to the nearest emergency room.
While we will try to save your tooth after a dental abscess, this isn’t always possible. Sometimes we need to remove the tooth to drain the infection, and when this is the case, we can talk to you about suitable replacements, perhaps, for example, having a dental implant once the infection has cleared up.
I am Linda Howard. My appointment with Dr Russo was on time, and the office was exceptionally clean with new equipment to make it safer during this pandemic. I came in with a toothache and all the options were explained to me. Dr Russo’s manner is engaging, reassuring, and confident. I would recommend this office to anyone needing a dentist.
Have you bitten down on something hard and felt your tooth chip or crumble away? It’s a common problem, and it does require urgent dental care. When you chip or crack a tooth, the outer part of the tooth, the tooth enamel, is compromised.
Tooth enamel protects the tooth, but when it is breached, harmful bacteria can easily enter the inner part of your tooth. A minor chip or crack in a tooth can develop into a severe infection when left untreated.
Often a chipped or cracked tooth is easily mended with a dental filling or by bonding the damaged area with tooth-colored composite resin, invisibly mending your tooth and restoring its strength and appearance.
More serious cracks or chips in a tooth may require a dental crown. The crown covers the entire tooth, providing maximum protection while restoring its appearance, strength, and structure.
Dental injuries can occur because of trauma, often during a sporting accident, and unfortunately, we see many people who have partially or completely knocked out teeth every year. When this is the case, you need to act quickly to try and save the tooth.
If you have completely knocked out your tooth, you need to:
Otherwise, place the tooth in a small cup of milk or with some water and a pinch of salt and come and see us immediately. Alternatively, you can keep the tooth in your cheek, taking care not to swallow it.
When we can reinsert a tooth within an hour after the accident, there is a reasonable chance we can save it. Even if it has been longer since the accident, it’s still worth coming to see us as soon as you can so we can try and save the tooth.
If you have a tooth that is partially avulsed, where it has been dislodged, you also need to come and see us immediately. We can check the tooth carefully to make sure it is salvageable and will most likely splint it to the adjacent teeth to help hold it in position while the tooth heals.
Aging fillings can crumble away or are sometimes dislodged when you eat anything very sticky or crunchy.
Whatever the reason, it’s important to replace a lost filling quickly as otherwise harmful bacteria can easily enter the cavity, causing infection and decay. You may notice the tooth in question feels more sensitive whenever you eat anything very hot or cold.
Replacing the filling helps protect and preserve your tooth and ensures you feel more comfortable. In the meantime, you can insert a small piece of sugar-free gum into the cavity to help protect the tooth.
If the crown comes loose, save it and bring it to your appointment.
Sometimes we can clean a crown and recement it back in place. Otherwise, we can talk to you about a new crown.
Please do not try to re-cement the crown yourself, especially using household glue, as these can irrevocably damage your teeth and the crown.
If you are experiencing a dental emergency, please call South Nassau Dental Arts at (516) 763-4500. We will schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
Dr. Adam Shoukry, DDS, is a cosmetic dentist who strives to provide each of his patients with personalized care and educate them on the state of their dental health so that they can make informed decisions. Dr. Shoukry really enjoys his work and is committed to continued education, having attended several accredited courses in every aspect of dentistry.
Dr. Shoukry graduated from NYU College of Dentistry with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and then completed his general practice residency at Nassau University Medical Center. Being a member of the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Shoukry strives to provide comprehensive dental examinations, a full range of cosmetic treatments, and the best restorative oral health care available.