Comprehensive Emergency Dental Care
As an emergency dentist, I understand that dental pain doesn't wait for convenient timing. Toothaches strike at the worst moments—during important meetings, family events, or in the middle of the night. At Aloha Modern Dentistry, we prioritize emergency patients and make every effort to see you the same day.
Whether you're experiencing a severe toothache, broken tooth, knocked-out tooth, dental infection, or any other urgent dental issue, we're here to help. We serve patients from Aloha, Beaverton, Tigard, Cedar Hills, Hillsboro, Tualatin, and throughout Washington County who need immediate dental care.
🦷 From Dr. Ostovar
"Many patients delay seeking care because they're not sure if their situation qualifies as an 'emergency.' My advice: if you're in pain or worried, call us. We'd rather evaluate you and find nothing serious than have you suffer unnecessarily or risk a minor issue becoming a major one. When in doubt, reach out."
What Qualifies as a Dental Emergency?
Some dental situations require immediate attention, while others can wait for a regular appointment. Here's how to tell the difference:
True Dental Emergencies (Call Immediately)
Urgent (Same-Day Care Recommended)
Understanding Dental Abscesses
⚠️ Warning: Dental Abscesses Are Medical Emergencies
An untreated dental abscess can spread infection to your jaw, neck, throat, and in rare cases, your brain. This is called Ludwig's angina or a brain abscess, and it can be fatal. If you have facial swelling with fever, difficulty swallowing, or difficulty breathing, seek emergency care immediately.
A dental abscess is a pocket of pus caused by bacterial infection. There are two main types:
- Periapical Abscess: Occurs at the tip of the tooth root, usually from an untreated cavity or cracked tooth that allowed bacteria to enter the pulp
- Periodontal Abscess: Occurs in the gum tissue next to a tooth root, often related to gum disease
Signs of a Dental Abscess
- Severe, persistent, throbbing toothache that radiates to the jaw, neck, or ear
- Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
- Pain when chewing or biting
- Facial swelling (may be warm to the touch)
- Swollen, tender lymph nodes under your jaw or in your neck
- Fever and general malaise
- A foul taste in your mouth (from draining pus)
- A pimple-like bump (fistula) on the gum near the affected tooth
Abscess Treatment
Treatment typically involves draining the abscess and eliminating the source of infection:
- Antibiotics: To fight the bacterial infection and prevent spread
- Incision and Drainage: If a visible abscess is present, we'll make a small incision to drain the pus
- Root Canal: If the infection originated from the tooth pulp, a root canal removes the infected tissue and saves the tooth
- Extraction: If the tooth cannot be saved, extraction eliminates the source of infection
Knocked-Out (Avulsed) Tooth
A knocked-out permanent tooth is one of the few dental emergencies where minutes matter. With prompt action, we may be able to reimplant and save the tooth.
Critical Timeline
0-30 minutes: Best chance of successful reimplantation (90%+ success rate)
30-60 minutes: Good chance if tooth was stored properly
60+ minutes: Significantly reduced success rate, but still worth attempting
What To Do Step-by-Step
- Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the white part). Never touch the root.
- Rinse gently with water if dirty. Don't scrub or remove any tissue fragments attached to the root.
- Try to reinsert it into the socket. Bite down gently on a clean cloth to hold it in place.
- If you can't reinsert it, store the tooth in cold milk, saline solution, or between your cheek and gum (your saliva).
- Get to our office immediately. Call (503) 922-1166 while you're on your way.
Important: Baby teeth should NOT be reimplanted, as this can damage the developing permanent tooth beneath. However, you should still see us to ensure no damage occurred.
Broken, Cracked, or Fractured Teeth
Teeth can break from trauma, grinding (bruxism), biting on hard objects, or weakening from large fillings. The severity determines treatment:
Severe Toothache
A toothache is your body's signal that something is wrong. While minor sensitivity can be temporary, severe or persistent pain usually indicates a problem that won't resolve on its own.
Common Causes of Toothache
- Tooth Decay: When a cavity reaches the nerve, pain becomes severe
- Cracked Tooth: Pain when biting or releasing, especially with hot/cold
- Gum Infection: Deep pockets can trap bacteria against the tooth root
- Dental Abscess: Infection creates pressure and inflammation
- Impacted Wisdom Tooth: Partially erupted teeth trap food and bacteria
- Teeth Grinding: Can cause tooth fractures and muscle pain
Temporary Pain Relief
- Take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)—it reduces inflammation better than acetaminophen for dental pain
- Rinse with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon salt in 8 oz water)
- Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek (15 minutes on, 15 off)
- Floss gently around the tooth to remove any trapped food
- Apply clove oil (eugenol) directly to the tooth—it has natural numbing properties
Warning: Never place aspirin directly on your gums. It's acidic and will burn the tissue, making things worse.
Lost Filling or Crown
When a filling or crown comes out, the underlying tooth structure is exposed and vulnerable. While not always an immediate emergency, you should seek care promptly to prevent:
- Sensitivity to temperature and chewing
- Further decay of the exposed tooth
- Damage to the tooth structure
- Infection of the exposed pulp
Temporary Measures
- If you have the crown, clean it and try to place it back temporarily using denture adhesive or over-the-counter dental cement
- For a lost filling, cover the cavity with temporary dental filling material (available at pharmacies) or sugar-free gum
- Never use super glue—it's toxic and will make professional repair much more difficult
- Avoid chewing on that side until you can be seen