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The holiday season: You might be picturing candles, a Christmas tree, stockings, gifts, family gatherings, and delectable foods. One thing that is not in your idyllic holiday picture is a toothache, lost filling or missing crown! Unfortunately, dental emergencies can and do occur at times, and occasionally, those times are the most inconvenient times of the year. If you find yourself struggling with a tooth-related emergency this December, here’s what you should do.

Call the Office

Even if it’s a holiday or a weekend, someone will be on call. Sometimes a patient can be seen, and other times they can at least receive advice. If you’re having severe pain or marked swelling, the best first course of action is to call and speak to someone who can help.

Call an Area Dentist

If you are staying out of the local area for the holidays, then unfortunately, we won’t really be able to help you! If you’re spending your time with friends or family, ask them to call their own dentists to see if you can be seen. While many dentists might not be able to see new patients during the holiday season, some will make an exception for the friend or family member of one of their patients.

Try At-Home Measures

If your pain is mild or you’ve lost a filling, you can probably treat it at home. First, try an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). If you can take these safely (read the bottle or contact your physician or pharmacist if you are unsure), they can often temporarily reduce the pain and swelling associated with a toothache. Keep in mind that this is a temporary measure, and that you should be seen by someone, either us or another dentist, as soon as feasible!

You can also try rinsing with warm saltwater or holding whole dried clove against the tooth. Both of these can relieve pain. Also, try flossing around the area; sometimes a seed or a piece of food can get wedged between the teeth, causing pain.

If you’ve lost a filling, you can buy temporary filling material to pack the hole. This will generally reduce the pain, too. If you are seeing blood or pus coming out of the hole, however, don’t use the product, as the tooth may need to drain from an infection. If this is the case, you could be worsening the infection by blocking the drainage.

If all else fails and you’re in a lot of pain or you have a lot of swelling (even in the absence of pain), go to a walk-in medical care center or, as a last resort, the emergency room. If you need an antibiotic, they will be able to prescribe it to you there. Unfortunately, most walk-in clinics and emergency rooms are not equipped to handle dental work, but they can at least help you get your infection and pain under control until you can be seen by a dentist.

Of course, prevention is the best treatment for a dental emergency. If you are having any problems at all, please call to schedule an appointment before the holidays!