Emergency Dentist in Lexington, SC

Please call our Lexington, SC office as soon as you determine that you or your child have a dental emergency. During regular business hours, we will be glad to work you in to our schedule as quickly as possible. If your dental emergency occurs after hours, over the weekend, or during the holidays, please call our emergency contact number at 803-445-4050 and leave a detailed message with your name, contact number and the natural of your dental emergency, and we will call you back within 30 minutes.

If you have a severe emergency or are having difficulty breathing, call 911 or go straight to the emergency room.

Tooth Ache

Begin by cleaning around the sore tooth meticulously with your toothbrush and dental floss. Using warm salt water, rinse the mouth to displace any food trapped between teeth. Under no circumstances should you use aspirin on the aching tooth or on the gum. In the event of facial swelling, apply a cold compress to the area. For temporary pain relief, acetaminophen is recommended. Please contact us for an appointment if the pain persists more than one day.

Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek

Ice can be applied to any bruised areas. For bleeding, apply firm (but gentle) pressure with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. If the bleeding does not stop with pressure or continues after 30 minutes, go to the emergency room.

Broken Braces and Wires

Remove a broken appliance only if it comes out easily. If it is lodged or painful to remove, cover any protruding edges with wax, cotton balls, gauze or chewing gum. Do not remove any wire caught in the gums, cheek or tongue. See a dentist or your orthodontist immediately. Emergency attention is usually not required for loose or broken appliances that cause no discomfort.

Broken Tooth

Rinse the area with warm water. Put a cold compress over the facial area of the injury. Recover any broken tooth fragments. Seek immediate dental attention and bring the broken fragments with you.

Knocked Out Permanent Tooth

Recover the tooth, making sure to hold it by the crown (top) and not the root. Rinse gently under clean water, but do not scrub clean or handle the tooth more than necessary. Reinsert the tooth in the socket in the correct anatomical position (if possible, quickly look at a person nearby to assess the correct positioning for that specific tooth), and hold it in place using a clean piece of gauze or cloth. If the tooth cannot be reinserted, place it in a cup containing milk or water. Because quick treatment is essential to the tooth surviving, see a dentist immediately, preferably within 30 minutes.

Possible Broken Jaw

In the event of jaw injury, tie the mouth closed with a towel, tie or handkerchief. Go immediately to an emergency room.

Bleeding After a Baby Tooth Falls Out

Fold a piece of gauze and place it (tightly) over the bleeding area. Bite down on the gauze for 15 minutes. If bleeding continues, see a dentist.

Cold or Canker Sores

Canker sores (aphthous ulcers) are small sores inside the mouth that often recur. They have a white or gray base surrounded by a red border. Generally lasting one or two weeks, the duration of canker sores can be reduced by the use of warm saltwater rinses or topical agents. If the sore persists for longer than 10 days, see your dentist for an exam. If you frequently get canker cores, call our office to schedule a consult, as Dr. Rodgers can write you a prescription for a medicated mouthwash that greatly helps with pain management and expedited healing.

Fever blisters

Fever blisters result from a virus that lives dormant in your nerves and can pop up when triggered by stress or sun exposure. If you frequently get fever blisters, consult with one of our doctors, as we have medications we can prescribe you to drastically shorten the duration of these painful, unsightly sores.