Emergency Dentist – Grantsville, UT

Delivering the Urgent Care Your Smile Needs

Woman wincing and holding her cheek in pain needing emergency dentist in Grantsville

There are plenty of beautiful places to roam throughout the state of Utah. While taking in the beauty of surrounding landscapes, it’s also possible that you might suffer a dental emergency that requires immediate attention. Whether you’re out on a hike with friends and accidentally fall, chipping a tooth, or you’re preparing to enjoy a juicy apple when tooth sensitivity strikes, you can call our emergency dentists in Grantsville and get the help you need right away.

Why Choose Frandsen Dental of Grantsville for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Two Forms of Sedation Available
  • Same-Day Emergency Care
  • Natural Materials Used to Repair Damaged Teeth

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Woman holding her cheek in pain while talking to dentist
  • Call our office for an appointment – When dealing with a dental emergency, you’ll first need to call our office to schedule an appointment. A member of our team will determine how severe the injury is and make recommendations to help safeguard your smile while at home.
  • Undergo an emergency exam – Once reaching our office, we will begin to take X-rays of your smile and use innovative technologies to pinpoint the problem area.
  • Create a personalized treatment plan – Our findings will help us to determine the type of treatment plan you need. Based on the damage and severity of the issue, we can decide which restorative service will work to improve your smile.
  • Administer essential care – We will begin to quickly eliminate any existing pain before addressing the damaged or decayed area so that you can be on your way to enjoying a healthier, fully restored smile.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

No matter the type of dental pain you might be experiencing, it’s always best to call our office and speak to a member of our team. While you might not think it is a serious problem, it might require more timely care than you think. Below are just some of the most common dental emergencies that we treat as well as what you can do to minimize the situation while at home waiting for your appointment.

Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry

Dental assistant smiling while handing patient form

Even though each patient has their own dental needs and smile goals, one question always comes up, “How much does it cost?” The good news is that our team at Frandsen Dental can provide you with an estimate at your appointment so there won’t be any surprises at the end of your visit. You can also read on to learn more on the topic, including the financial solutions available to you if you don’t have dental insurance.

Why Every Dental Emergency is Different

Dentist reviewing X-ray on tablet

Patients visit our Grantsville emergency dentist for numerous reasons – from loose teeth and damaged restorations to completely knocked-out teeth. Furthermore, even those who visit us for the same reason, like persistent tooth pain, may need different restorative treatments based on the root of the problem. For those reasons, every dental emergency is different, and, in turn, the price is a bit different.

Please know that our knowledgeable, friendly, and experienced dental team will provide you with an estimate of the cost upfront and review the financial solutions available to you, including dental insurance, to help make navigating the cost easy.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

Woman filling out dental insurance form in lobby

Although dental insurance providers focus largely on preventive care, they often cover a portion of the cost of essential restorative treatments as well. Plus, some plans include a complimentary emergency exam annually, which helps lower your out-of-pocket expenses even further. In short, if you are insured, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with your benefits so you know what is and isn’t covered. If you’re having any trouble or simply don’t know where to start, that’s okay – we can help! We’re in-network with Delta Dental, BlueCross BlueShield, and several other popular carriers.

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

Dentist and dental assistant looking at smiling patient's teeth

If you don’t have dental insurance, don’t let that stop you from coming in for the necessary emergency care. When you do, we can review the other financial solutions available, including:

  • Our In-House Membership Plan – When you join, you’ll get valuable discounts on treatments completed at our office (all without waiting periods, annual maximums, and the like).
  • Flexible Financing with CareCredit – With CareCredit, you can choose a payment plan so the cost of your emergency dental care isn’t due all at once.

How Taking Care Of Your Smile Can Save You Money

Woman smiling while brushing her teeth

Oftentimes, patients don’t think about the cost of dental care until they need it. However, one of the best ways to keep your visits affordable is by taking great care of your smile. To start, brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash consistently to prevent plaque and tartar buildup. You should also come in twice a year for a checkup and cleaning as well as avoid unhealthy dental habits entirely, like smoking.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Patient in Grantsville covering their mouth due to dental emergencies

Dental emergencies can be stressful to deal with and can often seriously affect your oral health and overall quality of life. This is why at Frandsen Dental of Grantsville, we believe that it’s best to take proactive steps to make your mouth healthy and resilient. But how can you do that in a practical way? Read more below to find the keys to preventing dental emergencies and protecting your smile.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Patient in Grantsville getting an oral checkup to avoid dental emergencies

We recommend visiting us at least twice a year for a thorough dental exam and cleaning. This is one of the most important habits you can begin to keep your teeth clean and healthy. At these appointments, we can check for issues like decay, gum disease, oral cancer, and more. This lets us spot, diagnose, and treat potential dental problems before they get worse and cause you pain, discomfort, or illness.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home

Patient in Grantsville brushing their teeth to prevent dental emergencies

The second pillar of great oral health is your at-home hygiene routine. Brushing twice every day and flossing at least once before sleep is vital for removing harmful bacteria and food particles from your teeth and gums. If you’d like even better protection, you can also incorporate an alcohol-free antibacterial mouthwash to eliminate germs that your toothbrush may have missed. With this routine in place, you have a much better chance of avoiding an emergency.

Be Careful with Your Diet

Patient in Grantsville eating healthy to avoid dental emergencies

Maintaining the overall health of your mouth and body is about more than hygiene, what you eat also plays a significant part in smile safety. Excess sugar and acid in your diet from things like soda, coffee, confections, and highly processed foods provide sustenance for bad oral bacteria. Once these germs feed, they spread rapidly, weakening your teeth and traveling below your gumline. Try to eat a nutritious diet full of lean meats, fresh vegetables, and vitamin-rich dairy products to keep your body and mouth feeling great.

Wear a Mouthguard

Patient in Grantsville putting in a mouthguard avoid dental emergencies

Organized sports and active recreation are great ways to improve many aspects of your physical health. However, they are also one of the most common ways that patients receive dental injuries. Stray balls, slips, falls, and physical impact with other people are all potential risks for your teeth. So, wear a mouthguard! This is the easiest way to keep your smile intact while enjoying an active and healthy lifestyle.

Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging

Patient in Grantsville biting their nails

For every task, there is a tool that will help you get the job done more effectively, but your teeth are never it. Many patients like to use their pearly whites to rip open bags, tear tape, bite their fingernails, or even pop bottlecaps off. However, this is a recipe for dental disaster! To avoid cracking, chipping, or dislodging your teeth, always use the appropriate tool. Doing this will also avoid introducing any additional bacteria into your mouth that could cause infection.

Dental Emergency FAQs

Will my toothache go away on its own?

Toothaches do not generally go away on their own, and there are many things that can cause them. While some toothaches may be caused by dental sensitivity or food debris lodged in the gums, they can also be the result of untreated decay infecting the pulp of the tooth. It’s best to schedule a dental checkup if you have one just to make sure there is nothing wrong, as this can catch underlying problems in their early stages before they become anything more serious.

What does throbbing tooth pain mean?

If you experience severe, throbbing dental pain, it may be the result of an infection or inflammation within the tooth. Cavities do not get better on their own, and as the bacteria that cause them are allowed to continue eating their way through your tooth, they will eventually reach the pulp at the center. When this tissue becomes infected, the nerves within it send pain signals to the brain. While infections require dental intervention to be resolved, throbbing teeth can sometimes be caused by factors like frequent grinding or clenching.

My chipped tooth doesn’t hurt. Do I still need to visit?

Chipped teeth do not heal on their own. Even if chipping a tooth doesn’t cause any pain, you can’t know for sure if the vulnerable pulp inside is exposed until a dentist examines it. In some cases, chipping a tooth can weaken it and leave it vulnerable to injuries or infections later on. It’s important to always schedule a dental appointment after chipping a tooth, but you can probably afford to wait a day or two before going to the office.

What does chronic bad breath mean?

While bad breath can often be caused by eating a meal with pungent flavors or because you haven’t brushed your teeth yet, chronic bad breath, or halitosis, may be the result of an underlying problem. While the scent of your exhalations can be made consistently more unpleasant by habits like tobacco use, it may also be the result of untreated oral infections such as cavities or gum disease, especially if it is accompanied by a foul taste in the mouth. If your bad breath doesn’t go away after a few days, call our office to schedule an appointment so we can make sure there are no serious problems at work.

Can I pop a dental abscess on my own?

You should never attempt to pop a dental abscess on your own. Abscesses of the teeth or gums are considered dental emergencies that require the attention of a qualified dentist to be treated. Popping an abscess without the proper training can further irritate the area while exposing your mouth to more bacteria. To make matters worse, neglecting to have the problem treated can lead to the infection spreading to other parts of the body like the head, neck, or throat.

More to Explore

I Need a Checkup & Cleaning I am Worried About Gum Disease I Have a Cavity or Broken Tooth I am Missing One or More Teeth I Want to Enhance My Smile I Want a Straighter Smile I am Scared of the Dentist View Our Services

Toothaches  

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? If your toothache has persisted for more than 24 hours or seems to be getting worse, call us ASAP to schedule an emergency exam. You should also contact us if you’re experiencing other abnormal symptoms, like dental sensitivity or bleeding gums.

How You Should Handle a Toothache For short-term relief, there are a few things you can do, including avoiding crunchy foods, drinking room-temperature water, and taking OTC pain medication. The most important step, however, is scheduling an appointment with us.

How We Treat Toothaches Our recommendation will depend on what we find during your emergency exam. Sometimes, the solution is a tooth-colored filling. Other times, more extensive restorative care is needed, like root canal treatment and a dental crown.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

Chipped Teeth  

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Sometimes. Whether or not you need to come in for same-day care depends largely on if you’re in pain and how extensive the damage is. If you’re not sure if you need to come in right away, simply give us a call – we’ll walk you through the next best steps.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth There are two priorities: preventing the tooth from breaking further and protecting the soft tissue in your mouth. For those reasons, we recommend rinsing your mouth periodically with clean, lukewarm water and covering the tooth with some sugar-free gum.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth Cosmetic dental bonding is cost-effective, can be placed in a single appointment, and can fix small chips, which are a few of the many reasons it’s so popular. Veneers are also an option. Although they require a higher upfront investment, they also last longer (10 years or more with proper care).

Cracked Tooth  

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, a cracked tooth is a dental emergency. That’s because – even if the damage seems minor or you aren’t in pain – there’s a chance that an infection can develop. Plus, if the crack gets larger, there may come a point where we can no longer save your tooth.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth First, call us to schedule an emergency appointment, ideally for the same day. Second, do what you can to protect your tooth from further harm, including not chewing on that side of your mouth and rinsing periodically with clean, lukewarm water.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth How we treat a cracked tooth depends on whether or not we can save it. If we can’t, then we will have no choice but to extract it. There is some good news though: we can replace it with a custom, lifelike dental bridge or implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH EXTRACTIONS

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? There are many potential causes of tooth sensitivity, and some are more urgent than others. If the sensation is mild, it might be due to thinned enamel from brushing too aggressively, applying too many whitening treatments, or indulging in a highly acidic diet. More severe discomfort may be due to cavities, gum recession, or a tooth abscess and needs to be treated sooner rather than later.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth: Contact us as soon as possible so we can schedule your appointment for an appropriate time. If your situation isn’t immediately urgent, we may walk you through special care instructions over the phone until you arrive. For example, rinsing with lukewarm saltwater reduces aches and inflammation, as do over-the-counter medications like Tylenol or ibuprofen.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth: The treatment will depend on the underlying cause, which we can determine after examining your mouth. If the sensitivity is because of weakening enamel, topical fluoride treatments and desensitizing toothpaste can often address it. If it’s gum disease or an infection, we might need to apply root scaling and planing, and/or antibiotics.

Learn More About Fluoride Treatment

Learn More About Gum Disease Treatments

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? If you’ve sustained an injury or bit into something and your tooth was lost or dislodged, you should contact us immediately. If you act quickly, there’s a chance it can be put back into place to refuse with your jawbone.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth: Call our office right away so we can schedule a same-day appointment to see you. Try to find the tooth that was knocked out and store it in a container with a small amount of milk or your saliva. Don’t handle it by the roots or hold it under running water, as this can damage the still-viable cells.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth: If the tooth is in good condition, we might be able to replace it in its socket to reintegrate. Otherwise, we will discuss potential replacement options like dental implants, bridges, or dentures.

Learn More About Replacing Missing Teeth

Learn More About Dental Implants

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Although it may not qualify as an immediate need, it’s important to let us know if you’ve lost a restoration because it was preserving your tooth’s functionality. It might become infected or break even further without protection, so we’ll want to see you as soon as possible.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown: If possible, try to locate the lost filling or crown. This can be helpful when we consider potential solutions. If your dental crown fell out and isn’t too damaged, you might gently replace it with a dollop of toothpaste or dental cement until we can examine it. However, this is not recommended for fillings.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns: The treatment can vary based on your individual circumstances. For instance, if your dental crown is still in good shape, we might be able to bond it back in its place. Otherwise, we may have to pursue a new restoration altogether.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings and Dental Crowns

Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? A broken denture can affect your ability to eat and speak properly, making it a dental emergency, especially if it's your only set.

How to handle a broken denture: If your denture breaks, avoid trying to repair it yourself, as this can cause further damage or introduce toxic chemicals to your mouth. Instead, keep all the pieces and contact us immediately.

How we treat broken dentures: We’ll examine the damage and figure out whether your denture can be repaired or if a replacement is necessary. In many cases, minor repairs can be done in-office. However, more serious issues may need to be resolved by our partnered dental lab.

Learn More About Dentures

Learn More About Dental Implants

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a loose permanent tooth a dental emergency? Yes, a loose permanent tooth is considered a dental emergency, as it may be a sign of trauma or advanced gum disease.

How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: If your tooth feels loose, avoid wiggling it with your tongue or fingers. Also, stick to soft foods and avoid brushing it directly until you can come to see our team.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: Your treatment will depend on the cause. If the looseness is due to trauma, we may splint the tooth to adjacent teeth to allow it to stabilize. For gum disease-related looseness, deep cleaning and gum treatments may be needed to prevent the bacteria from weakening the ligaments and bone holding your tooth in place.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Learn More About Dental Implants

Learn More About Gum Disease Therapy

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? Sometimes, but not always. Injuries to the soft tissues of the mouth usually turn into emergencies if there is significant bleeding, pain, or risk of infection. These are frequent issues, especially among children in contact sports.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: Rinse your mouth with clean water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. If bleeding persists after 10-15 minutes of applying pressure, head to the nearest ER instead of coming to our office.

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: We will clean the area and, if necessary, apply sutures to help the injury heal. If there’s a risk of infection, our team may also prescribe antibiotics.

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? Jaw pain can be a dental emergency if it’s severe or prolonged. Jaw pain can be particularly disruptive to everyday activities, so it’s best to seek help sooner rather than later.

How you should handle jaw pain: Once you call us, we can give you specific instructions over the phone for your case. However, generally, you can apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and take over-the-counter pain relievers to manage discomfort until you can see our team.

How we treat jaw pain: We will first give your mouth a full examination to find the cause of your jaw pain, whether it’s TMJ-related, an infection, or another issue. Treatment from there may include medication, bite adjustments, or a referral to a specialist.

Learn More About Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Is something stuck between your teeth a dental emergency? This isn’t usually a dental emergency unless it causes significant discomfort or damage, or you can’t seem to remove it through normal means.

How you should handle something stuck between your teeth: Use dental floss to gently remove the object or debris. However, avoid using sharp objects like pins or toothpicks as these can damage your gums or make the issue worse.

How we treat something stuck between your teeth: If flossing doesn’t work, give us a call and set up an emergency appointment. We’ll carefully remove the object using specialized tools and ensure there’s no damage to the tooth or surrounding tissues.