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Emergency Dentist — Midwest City, OK

Get Fast Relief from Dental Pain

Pained man visiting his Midwest City emergency dentistDental emergencies can happen when you least expect them and can often feel scary – but do not worry! Our expert team at Midwest City Dental Center stands ready to assist you in an emergency situation – often on the very same day the accident or injury happens. Dr. Steven Kendrick has many years of experience providing urgent oral care and will be able to quickly reduce your dental pain and anxiety with emergency dentistry in Midwest City. Call us today to get fast relief from dental pain!

Why Choose Dr. Steven Kendrick for Emergency Dental Care?

  • Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
  • Advanced Technology for Fast, Precise Treatment
  • Numerous Options to Make Emergency Dentistry Affordable

What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Woman with toothache calling her Midwest City emergency dentist

  • Step 1: Call us right away! We do everything we can to see emergency patients on the same day they call us, and we’ll also instruct you on how to handle your emergency until you can reach us.
  • Step 2: See Dr. Kendrick for an exam. Kendrick will see you right away to get you out of any serious pain and evaluate your situation.
  • Step 3: Make a treatment plan. Kendrick will review his findings with you and fully explain which treatment(s) he recommends. Together, you’ll make a treatment plan to get your oral health back on track.
  • Step 4: Get the care you need right away. Thanks to our experienced team and advanced dental equipment, we’re proud to offer a wide variety of treatments that can address dental emergencies right away, like our CEREC same-day dental crowns.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

There are two general categories when it comes to dental emergencies: long-term infections, characterized by toothaches, and unexpected accidents or injuries that can result in a chipped or dislodged tooth or other dental trauma. At Midwest City Dental Center, we are well-equipped to deal with any type of dental emergency you may experience. Even if you are unsure if your situation requires urgent attention, we encourage you to call us so we can help you determine what you should do next to protect your smile. Below, you’ll find some important information on the most common dental emergencies we treat here at Midwest City Dental Center.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies 

Patient and dentist shaking discussing cost of dental emergencies in Midwest City

There is no one set cost of emergency dental care, as the appropriate treatment will vary depending on your unique situation. Resolving a dental emergency could be as straightforward as providing a prescription for antibiotics or as complex as performing a root canal or tooth extraction. Dr. Kendrick will be able to provide you with an accurate cost estimate when you visit our dental office for your emergency appointment. Remember, at Midwest City Dental Center, we are always committed to providing quality oral care at an affordable price, so do not let any financial concerns put you off from seeking the urgent care you need!

Every Dental Emergency is Different

X-ray diagram of a toothache in Midwest City

We cannot stress enough the importance of contacting an emergency dentist in Midwest City as soon as possible once you notice a problem with your teeth or gums. Unless you schedule an appointment, it’s impossible for us to give you a cost estimate. Dr. Kendrick will need to examine your mouth, evaluate the extent of the damage, and determine which procedure(s) would be best suited for healing your smile. Common treatments for dental emergencies include:

  • Tooth-colored fillings
  • Dental crowns
  • Root canal therapy
  • Tooth extractions
  • And more!

Before moving forward with the treatment process, our team will go over the specifics as well as any pricing information you need to know.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

Dental insurance paperwork for the cost of dental emergencies in Midwest City

Most dental insurance providers understand that accidents happen from time to time. It’s common for your plan to cover the cost of one emergency exam per year as needed. Additionally, many services commonly used to treat hurting teeth, such as root canals and extractions, qualify for 50% to 80% coverage. Our team welcomes most dental insurance plans and can even help you with all of the paperwork involved!

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

Patient and receptionist discuss how to make emergency dental care in Midwest City affordable

Even if you don’t have insurance, we have ways of heling you reduce the cost of dental emergencies. For example, we proudly partner with CareCredit, a third-party financier that offers low-to-no interest rates on flexible payment plans. You can use these plants to split up the cost of your treatment into more manageable installments, allowing you to repair your smile without breaking the bank!

Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money

Man smiles and saves money for cost of dental emergency in Midwest City

While some dental emergencies spring up out of nowhere, many actually result from long-term poor oral hygiene. In many cases, regular dental checkups and cleanings can prevent these emergencies from occurring in the first place. If Dr. Kendrick is able to spot oral health problems early on, he can treat them before you require urgent care, resulting in lower dental bills overall.

Another way to reduce the cost of emergency dentistry in Midwest City is to seek treatment right away. Dental problems like toothaches usually do NOT heal on their own; in fact, they tend to get worse over time, increasing the risk that you’ll need a more invasive and expensive procedure.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Woman smiles after toothache treatment in Midwest City

Dr. Kendrick and our team are always ready to help you out if you face a dental health crisis, and we wholeheartedly recognize that not all accidents and injuries can be prevented. However, there are some simple precautions you can take to protect your smile, reduce your chances of decay and damage, and hopefully avoid a trip to our emergency dental office in Midwest City.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Woman gives thumbs up to her Midwest City emergency dentist

If you want to prevent dental emergencies in Midwest City, scheduling regular appointments with our office is a great place to start. At your biannual exams and cleanings, we will look for any early signs of oral health issues and strive to address them before they become serious, cause you pain, and require extensive treatment. Thorough cleanings and coaching on at-home oral care may even help you to avoid problems altogether.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home

Dental hygiene products for preventing dental emergencies in Midwest City

Your daily habits play a huge role in how your teeth and gums fare over the long-term. To maintain a clean mouth, you should:

  • Brush at least twice a day. Use gentle strokes and be sure to clean all the surfaces of your teeth that you can reach, including their backs and the area along the gumline.
  • Floss daily. Water flossers and floss picks are moderately effective, but old-fashioned string floss is the best way to clean the tight spaces between your teeth.

Watch What You Eat

Lots of healthy foods for preventing dental emergencies in Midwest City

Sugary foods contribute to plaque buildup, which is a precursor for cavities. Acidic foods and beverages can weaken your enamel and leave it vulnerable to erosion. It is best to consume such items in moderation, if you choose to consume them at all. Instead, try to focus on eating a diet that is rich in tooth-friendly nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Fortified dairy products, green leafy vegetables, and antioxidant-packed teas are all excellent choices.

Wear a Mouthguard

Closeup of mouthguard for preventing dental emergencies in Midwest City

There are two types of mouthguards. One is used primarily for sports, while the other is designed to stop nighttime bruxism (teeth grinding during sleep). Both types of mouthguards can prevent damage to your teeth, and both are available at over-the-counter retailers. However, custom mouthguards from a dentist tend to be much more comfortable and provide a higher level of protection. If you aren’t sure if you grind your teeth or if your favorite sport really requires a mouthguard, feel free to ask us at your next appointment.

Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging

Woman chewing on tape headed for a dental emergency in Midwest City

It can be tempting to use your teeth to cut the tags off of new clothes or open that stubborn package that just arrived on your doorstep. However, doing so is a bad idea. You could end up chipping a tooth or causing premature wear and tear to your enamel. It is best to use a tool, such as scissors or a knife, to take care of all your package-opening needs.

Dental Emergency FAQs

woman speaking with an emergency dentist in Midwest City

While you can’t always predict when a dental emergency will happen, there are ways you can be prepared for one. This includes being aware of the common types of dental injuries and the cost of treating them. Even so, you might still have questions on your mind about these situations. Fortunately, we’re here to help you feel more confident about urgent dental care. Our team has collected and answered several of the most common questions patients ask our emergency dentist in Midwest City. Read on or contact our office to learn more!

Will My Toothache Go Away By Itself?

Despite what many people think, a toothache will not recover on its own. If a throbbing pain has suddenly vanished, this may indicate that an infection has grown and damaged the nerve of your tooth. Therefore, you should schedule an appointment with Dr. Kendrick right away if you’re experiencing discomfort in your smile. He’ll be able to assess your oral health, determine the root cause of the toothache, and create a detailed treatment plan to fully restore your smile.

Should I Visit the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?

You should only visit an emergency room instead of your dentist if your emergency is potentially life-threatening, such as a broken jaw or difficulty breathing. ERs typically do not have dentists on staff, meaning they won’t have the tools or means to treat most dental emergencies effectively. If you’re experiencing dental-related injuries like a lost filling or knocked-out tooth, then your first choice should be to call our team.

Do I Still Need to Visit If My Chipped Tooth Doesn’t Hurt?

Although you may not feel discomfort from your chipped tooth, it’s best if you schedule a dental visit with our team. Even if you aren’t experiencing severe pain, leaving the inner layers exposed can make it more susceptible to damage later on. Without professional treatment, your chipped tooth can accidentally break more and cause sensitivity and soreness. That said, treatment can wait a day or two if needed, as long as you take care of your injured tooth with proper dental hygiene. Just be sure to not hold off on seeing us for a prolonged period.

What Should I Keep in My Emergency Dental Kit?

From a lost filling to a cracked tooth, having a dental emergency can be unsettling and overwhelming. The best way to make the experience as safe and comfortable as possible is to remain prepared at all times. For this reason, you might consider keeping an emergency dental kit close by containing the following components:

  • Gauze pads.
  • Cotton balls.
  • Sterile gloves.
  • Dental cement (or some effective temporary filling material).
  • Denture adhesive.
  • A storage container big enough to hold a tooth or restorations.
  • Petroleum jelly.
  • Anti-inflammatories, like ibuprofen.
  • A cold compress or ice pack.
  • Contact information for our emergency dentist in Midwest City.

If you have any further questions about dental emergencies, feel free to contact our friendly staff to learn more today!

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Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency? Is your toothache dull and consistent, or sharp and throbbing? Most minor toothaches are caused by cavities and can wait to be treated until the next available appointment. However, stabbing or severe toothaches are often a sign of a serious dental infection. If you experience long-lasting pain, a pimple-like bump on your gums, or a bad taste in your mouth, call us immediately.

How you should handle a toothache: Rinse the area around the tooth and gently floss to make sure the pain isn’t being caused by anything stuck between your teeth. If the pain persists, you can use a cold compress and/or an over-the-counter pain medication to handle your discomfort. Be sure to NOT place an aspirin directly on your gums next to the tooth as this can damage the area. You can also rinse your mouth out with warm saltwater a few times an hour to ease inflammation.

How we treat toothaches: The best toothache treatment for your situation will depend on the cause of your discomfort. Some toothaches can be addressed with a tooth-colored filling, dental crown, or antibiotics. However, other dental pain may require root canal therapy, gum disease treatment, or a tooth extraction. We won’t know which treatment you’ll need until we can evaluate you.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment

Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency? Chipped teeth are alarming, but not often painful. Nonetheless, you should seek treatment right away. Enamel cannot repair itself, so the longer you leave a chipped tooth untreated, the higher your risk is of developing further damage.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: First, rinse your mouth out with water. Avoid eating, chewing, or biting with the injured tooth. If the chipped tooth has sharp edges that are irritating the inside of your cheeks or lips, you can cover it with orthodontic wax or some sugarless gum.

How we treat chipped teeth: Oftentimes, we can simply fill in the damaged area of a chipped tooth with dental bonding, which uses the same biocompatible material used for tooth-colored fillings. If you’ve chipped off a large portion of your tooth and brought it with you to your appointment, we may be able to recement it into place.

Learn More About Dental Bonding

Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency? A cracked or broken tooth needs to be repaired right away, even if it doesn’t hurt. Cracked teeth are at risk of developing infection and sustaining further damage, so it’s important that you give us a call as soon as you can.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: Rinse your mouth out right away and continue to do so regularly until your appointment. If there is swelling or discomfort, you can apply an ice pack to the outside of your mouth for 10-minute intervals or take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Try to refrain from eating until we can treat you.

How we treat cracked teeth: The most common treatment for a cracked or broken tooth is a custom-made dental crown. This cap will encapsulate the entire portion of the tooth above the gumline, protecting it from future damage and infection while restoring functionality. We’re pleased to offer the latest CEREC technology, which can design and create your personalized dental crown in just one visit.

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Learn More About CEREC One-Visit Dentistry

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency?

It is very common for teeth to feel sensitive to hot and cold temperatures. Sometimes, sensitivity is the result of thin enamel or a cavity. However, sensitivity can also be a sign of serious oral health issues, like an abscess or gum disease. If you notice distracting, sharp, or lingering tooth sensitivity, give us a call so we can take a look.

How you should handle sensitive teeth:

Until you’re able to see us, you should stay away from foods and beverages that are particularly hot, cold, spicy, acidic, or sugary. Practice excellent oral hygiene and drink plenty of water. If you need them, over-the-counter pain relievers can also help.

How we treat tooth sensitivity:

We need to take a look at your smile to determine the cause of your sensitivity and the best way to address it. We may recommend specialized dental products, prescription toothpastes, fluoride treatment, or a filling. Other treatment that may help to reduce sensitivity include gum disease treatment, root canal therapy, and nightguards for bruxism.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Gum Disease Therapy

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency?

If one or more of your permanent teeth have been knocked out, you should give us a call right away. It’s crucial that you reach the practice within 30 to 60 minutes of the accident or injury so we have a better chance of saving your tooth.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth:

The first thing that you should do is try to find your tooth. Pick it up by the crown and avoid touching the root. Gently rinse your tooth with warm water, but don’t scrub away any remaining tissue. If you are able to, try to place your tooth back into its socket. If you can’t, keep it between your cheek and gums or in a container of milk or saliva. Your tooth needs to stay moist until you get to the practice, but you shouldn’t use water. This can damage the cells on the tooth’s roots and decrease your dentist’s likelihood of saving your tooth.

How we treat knocked-out teeth:

If you are able to make it to the office soon enough, Dr. Kendrick will do his best to reimplant your tooth. He will do this by positioning it carefully back into the socket and splinting it to the neighboring teeth to keep it in place as it heals. However, if your tooth is unable to be saved, we will discuss tooth replacement options, like dental bridges and implants.

Learn More About Dental Bridges

Learn More About Dentures

Learn More About Dental Implants

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency?

Fillings and dental crowns are made to be long lasting, but they won’t be around indefinitely. If one of yours falls out, give us a call, even if it isn’t causing you any pain. It’s important that this is repaired quickly to prevent further damage and decay.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown:

If you can, find your lost restoration and rinse it off. Try to put it back into place using dental wax, denture adhesive, or sugarless gum to keep it stationary. If you’re unable to get it back into place, keep it in a small container and bring it with you to the practice. Until then, avoid chewing on that side of your mouth and drink plenty of water to keep the area clean.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns:

If your crown or filling is still in good shape, we may be able to cement it back into place. However, we will also take the time to determine the reason the restoration came out in the first place. This way, we can take the right steps to prevent it from happening again. If your restoration has seen better days, we may need to replace it with a new one.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? While most dentures today are more durable and effective than they used to be, they can still get damaged or warped. If you do have broken dentures, then you should treat it as a dental emergency and call us right away so we can address the issue.

How to handle a broken denture: Avoid wearing a broken denture as this can cause further damage to it or harm your oral tissue. Try to store it in a glass or container of water or cleaning solution. Make sure not to try fixing it on your own, as using items like superglue can be dangerous to your oral and overall health.

How we treat broken dentures: Our team will examine your dentures before determining the best way to address the problem. Sometimes we can realign or readjust restorations that have been warped but are still intact. However, if your dentures are heavily damaged, we’ll likely have to replace them with new ones.

Learn More About Dentures

Learn More About Dental Implants

Learn More About Implant Dentures

Loose Permanent Tooth

Are loose permanent teeth a dental emergency? Since permanent teeth are meant to remain stable in your mouth, having one or some that are loose should be considered a dental emergency. This can be due to a sudden physical impact, advanced gum disease, or some other serious health issue. If you have a tooth that’s in danger of falling out, make sure to see us right away.  

How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: If your permanent tooth is loose, dislodged, or moved out of place, try to safely push it back into its socket. Keep away from chewing or biting on that side of your mouth. Feel free to take over-the-counter pain medication as directed or apply a cold compress on the outside of your cheek.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: It might be possible to preserve your tooth by securing it to a healthy tooth nearby. However, if it was loosened due to gum disease, we’ll need to treat the infection first to provide a more solid foundation. While our team will do its best to save your tooth, sometimes an extraction is necessary. If so, we’ll discuss tooth replacement options like dental implants.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Learn More About Dental Implants

Learn More About Gum Disease Therapy

Learn More About Sports Mouthguards

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? Your gums, lips, and tongue can easily be injured, especially if you play sports. Although these conditions can be treated at home, you should still contact us if you think your teeth are damaged as well.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: The soft tissue of your mouth tends to recover quickly, but be sure to maintain your condition while it heals. Try cleaning with a damp cloth, rinsing your mouth with water, and applying pressure to the wound. Take OTC pain relievers or use an ice pack if needed.

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: If you’re bleeding and it persists, head to the emergency room right away. But if your teeth are also injured or you notice discomfort and sensitivity, be sure to call us so we can help.

Learn More About Sports Mouthguards

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? Your jaw joints can become strained due to excessive tension or force. While this isn’t typically a dental emergency, it’s still a good idea to schedule an appointment with us before the issue worsens over time. If you think your jaw is either broken or dislocated, head to your local emergency room immediately.

How you should handle jaw pain: Having an uneven bite, teeth grinding, or even getting your wisdom teeth can cause jaw pain. While you wait to visit our team, try avoiding excessive chewing and eat softer foods in the meantime. Apply a cold compress and take OTC pain relievers if you need to.

How we treat jaw pain: Our team will examine you to determine the source of your jaw pain first. We’ll then form a treatment plan to address the root of the problem. They may involve providing you with a custom nightguard for bruxism or wisdom tooth extractions.

Learn More About Nightguards for Bruxism

Learn More About Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Having food or something else stuck between your teeth can cause a significant amount of discomfort and pressure. While this can often lead to a throbbing toothache, you can also manage the situation on your own without needing to visit the dental office. Try rinsing your mouth with water to help dislodge or weaken the object. Afterward, you can carefully floss around the item to remove it. Be sure not to use a sharp object such as a toothpick, tweezers, or a knife to dislodge the thing as doing so can be seriously harmful. If these methods don’t work, then contact us right away so we can help you.  

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