Emergencies

If you have a dental emergency, please contact our office, (425) 226-2348. After hours Dr. Lockett can be reached at (206) 850-5607. Use the information provided below to care for your dental emergency temporarily, until help is available.

Knocked out tooth

It's important to retrieve the tooth, hold it by its top or crown, and rinse off the root of the tooth if it's dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, put the tooth back in its socket. If that isn't possible, put the tooth in a container with milk or water, and then get to the dentist as soon as possible. Eliminate hot, cold and sweet things from your diet. Shield the area with soft wax.

Traumatically broken tooth

Rinse your mouth with warm water to keep the area clean. Use cold compresses on the area to keep the swelling down, and get in to our office quickly.

Bitten tongue or lip

Clean the area gently with a cloth and weak solution of hydrogen peroxide, and then apply cold compresses to reduce the swelling. If the bleeding doesn't stop, go to a hospital emergency room immediately if you cannot reach us.

Toothache

Rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the tooth of debris and foodstuff. Make sure food or foreign objects aren't lodged around the tooth by using dental floss after brushing around the area. Take an over-the-counter analgesic, and call your dentist.

Wisdom tooth pain

Rinse with salt water and take an over-the-counter analgesic. Call our office for a referral to an oral surgeon.

TMJ pain

Take an over-the-counter analgesic, maintain a soft diet, and use warm moist heat as needed. Call our office at your earliest convenience.

Abscessed tooth with swelling and/or fever; constant severe pain and pressure

Contact our office immediately or go to the hospital emergency room. You can also call an endodontist. This type of discomfort indicates you may require antibiotics and possibly a root canal.

If your temporary crown becomes loose or falls off

Use denture adhesive or Vaseline to temporarily cement it back on until you can get to your dentist.

Emergencies with children

Bring them to our office immediately, or contact Childrens Hospital & Regional Medical Center 206-987-2000.

Bleeding gums

Rinse with baking soda, salt water, or hydrogen peroxide.

Cuts or abrasions

Use Orabase gel to soothe the pain.

Erupting teeth

Use Anbesol gel on the teeth or have the child bite gently down on an ice cold wash cloth to soothe the pain.

Bleeding

Check lips and tongue to determine if stitches are needed. Check to see if pieces of broken tooth are embedded in the lips or tongue. Bleeding around tooth indicates fracture below gumline or displaced tooth. Apply pressure to stop bleeding of lips, cheek or tongue.

Sensitivity to hot and cold foods after receiving a filling or a crown

After a dental procedure, the nerves in your teeth may be inflamed, making them sensitive to temperature extremes. If the sensitivity doesn't begin to lessen within 48 hours, please call us.