Many times people just aren’t sure whether or not they should come see us or wait it out. Here are some examples of some very common dental emergencies:

Broken Tooth
If you have sustained trauma to the mouth from an accident, sport, or other injury that resulted in a loose or broken tooth, call us immediately. If the tooth is broken off or has been knocked out, do not try to clean it off, but rather place the tooth in a cup of milk and contact a dentist at McCarl Dental Group immediately.

Toothache
Sometimes toothaches come on very suddenly and can cause severe discomfort. Other times dental pain may be slow and gradual. In either case, the thing to remember with toothaches is that they don’t go away on their own. If your tooth hurts, call our dental office and schedule an appointment so that our dentists can help make you comfortable.

Loose Dental Crown
When a tooth with a crown has recurrent decay around it, or the cement simply loosens, your crown may come off. This exposes the surface of the tooth below the crown and unless it is uncomfortable, you may not need an emergency dental appointment. Please schedule an appointment as soon as possible for a dental exam to determine why the crown came off, and what treatment is necessary. Left uncovered, the underlying tooth can easily decay. If the crown on a front tooth or a tooth that is visible when you smile comes off, even if you are not experiencing dental pain, we are happy to fit you into our schedule or come to the dental office to see you as quickly as possible. To keep the crown on temporarily you can use some denture adhesive, or toothpaste. Please do not use any type of glue to try to re-cement the crown!

Broken Dental Fillings
One of the most common dental emergencies is a broken filling. This may be because the filling is very old or there is new decay around the filling. Depending on the size of the filling, the tooth could be at an increased risk of breaking, infecting the nerve, or developing food traps that leads to problems. Teeth that lose fillings have lost some of the stability that is needed to withstand the pressure of chewing. Do not chew on these teeth until the filling has been replaced and make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible.

Gum Swelling or Infection
If swelling of your gums, mouth or the surrounding area occurs, you should call us immediately. A small swollen area may be caused by a dental abscess that requires antibiotics and treatment. Infections are not to be taken lightly, they can lead to very serious health risks. Always remember to brush and floss your teeth daily and follow home care instructions after dental treatments to help prevent infections.

No matter what day it is, if you find yourself faced with a dental emergency, the first thing we’ll ask you when you call our Greenbelt, MD or Millersville, MD dental office is “How soon can you get here?” Even cosmetic procedures can become an emergency. We’ve had instances where one patient broke a tooth, and had to be in a wedding the next day. No matter what your dental emergency is, McCarl Dental Group is here to help. You can reach our Millersville, MD dental office at (410) 987-8800 or call our Greenbelt, MD location at (301) 474-4144.  For additional information about McCarl Dental Group, please visit our website at www.McCarlDental.com.

Crunching ice causes severe problems. Chewing on large pieces of ice causes stress fractures in even the healthiest teeth. Ice is hard and brittle but also cold which causes contraction in the tooth enamel of natural teeth.  Porcelain crowns also break and chip when chewing ice. Damage from chewing ice occurs in molars and often results in a severe fracture, not just a small chip. Fingernail biting is also a frequent reason for chipped enamel or porcelain in front teeth.

Treating dental emergencies is a routine aspect of comprehensive dental care. McCarl dentists strive to provide same day emergency dental treatment to people experiencing dental pain or a broken tooth causing cosmetic dental concerns. The dentists at McCarl Dental Group serve Anne Arundel County and Prince Georges County.  Our dental offices are conveniently located near Annapolis, Severna Park, Crofton, Crownsville, College Park, Lanham, Seabrook, Bowie, New Carrollton, Laurel, Greenbelt and Millersville.

Unlike bones, fractured teeth do not heal themselves. A tooth may or may not cause pain when it is cracked or fractured and many minor tooth fractures do not cause symptoms. Deeper fractures are often painful because the damage extends to the nerve inside the tooth. Pain from fractures may come and go or may be constant. It is always best to treat the dental emergency as soon as possible to try to prevent the problem from getting worse.

Please STOP USING YOUR TEETH AS TOOLS. Visit the dentists at McCarl Dental Group for top quality dental care for damaged and healthy teeth.

“The Time I Broke my Tooth”
by Amanda (age 12)

I have never been rushed to the hospital for an injury, but I over the summer I slipped unexpectedly.  It was 10:30pm, the night before my family was going to fly out to Orlando, Florida for a vacation.  I was brushing my teeth when my brother shouted out a joke he had just heard.  This made me laugh so hard that I lost my balance.  I slipped forward while my mouth was opened and hit my front tooth on the counter.  I had hit my tooth before, so I thought this was another one of those moments.  However, when I looked up and smiled into the mirror, I saw that half of my tooth was broken off!  I screamed, not knowing what to do.  My parents didn’t know what to do either.  My mom quickly searched the internet and said I needed immediate dental care.

“Where are we going to find a dentist to fix my tooth at 10:30 at night?” I asked.  We called Dr. Jay McCarl, and he spoke with my dad over the phone as I waited nervously beside him.  “Okay,” my dad said and then hung up phone.  He said that Dr. McCarl would meet us at the Shipley’s Choice Medical Center at 11:00pm.  My heart was so relieved that we had found somebody.  My parents drove me to the Medical Center, and we found Dr. McCarl standing at the front door.  We went into a room, and he numbed my gums.  This felt funny, but I had had this done before.  He spent a while fixing my tooth, but at this point I didn’t care how long it took.  I just wanted my tooth fixed before the trip.  Dr. McCarl was finished soon.  I smiled into a mirror again, but this time I looked perfectly normal.  This is a story I will always remember.  I am just thankful that I didn’t have to spend a week in Florida with a painful, broken tooth, because there is a dentist gracious enough to meet my needs even at 11:00 at night.

Yesterday, on New Year’s Eve, one of the dental emergencies treated by Dr. Clayton McCarl in the Greenbelt, Maryland office of McCarl Dental Group was a young woman with a broken front tooth who is in the wedding of a family member today.  Your dentist needs to be there for you when you need them. We are!