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Dental First Aid

What to Do During an After-Hours Emergency

v-xray.jpgHere at Dakota Dental Associates, we offer an after-hours emergency service for our patients of record. Patients will be questioned over the phone about the nature of their emergency and, depending on the case's severity and the time of day, the patient may be seen. Special emphasis will be given to emergencies involving trauma and infection.

After–hours phone coverage:
Monday through Thursday - 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Friday - 12:00 noon to 9:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday - 8:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Dakota Dental patien of record who are current on their hygiene recall and treatment recommendations have access to the on-call emergency service. No narcotics will be prescribed. To access the after-hours service, please call the office at (701) 775-0641 and follow the voicemail instructions.

Toothache

Begin by cleaning around the sore tooth meticulously. Use warm salt water, rinse the mouth to displace any food trapped between teeth. Under no circumstance should you use aspirin on the aching tooth or on the gum. Please contact us for an appointment if the pain or swelling persists more than a day.

Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek

An ice pack can be applied to any bruised area. For bleeding, apply firm, but gentle, pressure with damp, sterile gauze or a clean cloth. If the bleeding does not stop with pressure or continues after 15 minutes, go to an emergency room.

Broken Tooth

Rinse the area with warm water. Recover any broken tooth fragments. Seek dental attention.

Knocked Out Permanent Tooth

Recover the tooth, making sure to hold it by the crown (top) and not the root. Rinse, but do not clean or handle the tooth more than necessary. Place tooth in a cup containing milk and call the office immediately.

Bleeding After a Baby Tooth Falls Out

Fold a piece of damp gauze and place it firmly over the bleeding area. Apply pressure by biting down on the gauze for 15 minutes. Repeat as needed.

Cold or Canker Sores

Over-the-counter medications usually will provide temporary relief. If sores persist, visit our office.