What to Do in a Dental Emergency During COVID-19 Lockdown

While most dental clinics are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Carolina Dentistry @ The StateLine remains open for emergency or urgent procedures for the Charlotte, and Ballantyne communities. We are also maintaining phone contact with our existing clients. Although Dr. Schwartz and our staff do not exhibit any symptoms of the Coronavirus, we are adhering to public health recommendations to help prevent community transmissions. So, our office is closed from March 17 to April 16 for routine care procedures. During this period, the goal is to delay dental procedures until after the lockdown, so it is important that you maintain good dental hygiene during this period. You need to continue with regular teeth cleaning which means brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day. But what do you do if you have a dental emergency? What if you are in severe pain and can hardly sleep?

What is a Dental Emergency?

Before you actually go out, you need to know whether your situation is an emergency or not. If you have a lost filling, a mild sensitive tooth, a chipped tooth, or a dull toothache, you are not experiencing an emergency. A few examples of dental emergencies include bleeding gums, extreme and constant toothache, knocked-out jagged tooth, and extreme gum swelling, which indicates an infection.

What to Do In Case of Emergency?

If the pain is intolerable and there is danger that the dental problem may get worse, you might want to call our dentist. However, if there is infection, pus, or swelling, we can prescribe antibiotics for you, or you may have to come in for an emergency procedure. Your tooth may need to be extracted before it causes a severe infection. While the focus today is to delay treatment until after the lockdown, it is not a good idea for people to put off calling us if they are in extreme pain or experiencing serious dental problems. Of course, what constitutes an emergency to one person may not necessarily be a huge deal to another.  This is particularly true especially when it comes to a toothache. People have different tolerance levels. But if the tooth is broken or has shifted and the nerves are exposed, this is considered a dental emergency. If your face is swollen or you are unable to eat or sleep, you will need to visit a dentist as soon as possible. If we do decide to treat you during this time, we will need to inform you of the safety procedures that we have in place to ensure that our staff and our clients are safe from the coronavirus infections. So, if you are experiencing any dental emergencies, please do not hesitate to call our office for a quick consultation.