Call us when you need an emergency dentist near Essendon, VIC

When unexpected oral injury or pain strikes, there is no time to waste. You suddenly find yourself searching your medicine cabinet for something to quell the pain and searching the internet for an “emergency dentist near me.” If you happen to be in Sunbury, Moonee Ponds, or a nearby community such as Essendon, you are in luck. You have found Smile in Style, a high-quality, holistic dental office that offers emergency treatment for the whole family.

Emergency dental services

You can count on your dental family at Smile in Style to be here for you when you need us the most. In keeping with our commitment to quality dental care, we avoid over-booking. This allows our dentists to spend adequate time with each patient and helps avoid extended wait times. It also helps us make room to accommodate unscheduled dental emergencies.

We ask that you call ahead before coming to one of our offices. This gives us the opportunity to prepare for your arrival and give you some guidance on handling the situation until you get here. Also, you want to make sure our office will still be open, and a dentist will be available by the time you arrive.

We will see you as soon as possible. Our first priority is pain relief, stopping bleeding, and other immediate concerns. Next, we will address the injury or damaged tooth. Depending on the nature of the problem, we may be able to provide complete treatment in one visit. However, in many cases we will need to make temporary repairs and schedule a follow-up appointment. In any case, you can rest assured that we will do everything possible to restore your smile – and get you back to feeling like smiling – as quickly as possible.

How to handle a dental emergency

We are here to help with any emergency dental care needs. When dental emergencies happen, call Smile in Style right away. It is important that you see a dentist as soon as possible. Here are a few steps you can take immediately to reduce damage and make yourself more comfortable until you get to our office.

• Knocked out tooth – Keep the tooth and rinse it off very gently in tepid water. Do not remove, or even touch, any soft tissue that is still attached. Try to insert the tooth back in its socket and hold it there until you get to the dentist. Don’t use force. If the tooth won’t go back in the socket easily, put it in a clean container filled with room-temperature milk.
• Broken tooth – Collect all pieces of the tooth and bring them with you to the dental office. Gently rinse your mouth. Use an ice pack externally to control swelling.
• Cracked tooth – Rinse with clean, tepid water. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling.
• Soft tissue injury – Rinse the area and apply a cold compress for swelling. Applying gentle pressure can lessen bleeding. If you are bleeding heavily, you should visit our office or a hospital emergency department immediately.
• Toothache – The pain may be caused by food particles. First, try flossing and rinsing your mouth well with tepid water. If pain persists, see a dentist.
• Abscess – This is an infection-filled pocket in gum tissue, and it is usually quite painful. It is also a serious health risk, so you should not postpone dental care. To ease pain in the interim, rinse your mouth with tepid salt water.
• Broken orthodontic wire – Use a cotton swab to carefully bend the wire to an angle that it is not abrading soft tissue. Orthodontic wax can help hold it in place temporarily.

Managing dental pain

Any of the above conditions, as well as other types of dental emergencies, can be extremely painful. Over the counter medication can help make it more tolerable until you see a dentist. However, aspirin has anticoagulation (blood thinning) properties, which can exacerbate bleeding. Instead, use a product such as ibuprofen.

Please only use these products according to the instructions on the label. Resist the temptation to take more than the recommended dosage, and never apply oral medication topically. For topical use, choose an oral numbing gel or use clove oil.

Prevention is the best cure

No one ever expects an emergency. However, sometimes they can be avoided. Follow these tips to protect your smile:

• Safe sportsmanship – Contact sports rank high on the list of causes for oral injuries. Often, these emergencies can be avoided with proper safety gear. You can get custom-made mouthguards for children and adults from Smile in Style. We also advocate the use of helmets and other appropriate safety gear.
• Teeth are for food – Do you chew on ice, hold objects in your mouth, or open stubborn packages with your teeth? If so, you are risking chips, fractures, and other dental injuries. Your teeth should not be used for anything other than chewing food.
• Taking care of orthodontics – If you have standard orthodontics with wires and brackets, you will need to be careful when cleaning your teeth. Using a toothpick or other sharp objects, or even brushing too hard, can break a wire or bracket off.
• Healthy hygiene practices – Sudden dental pain, teeth that break while chewing normally, or infections might come as a surprise. However, these issues are often the result of problems that have been building for a long time. Untreated cavities, gingivitis, and other oral diseases can begin with no symptoms, and insidiously worsen until you suddenly need urgent dental care.

Relief is as close as your nearest Smile in Style office

We have two convenient locations, serving communities in the Moonee Ponds, Essendon, Sunbury, and Surrounding areas. If you are experiencing an emergency, please contact the closest location. You can reach our Sunbury office at 03 8001 6021, or our Moonee Ponds office at 03 8400 4104. We are here to help!