What to say when you call

Describe it the way you would describe it to a neighbor. What happened, when it happened, whether there is swelling, whether the pain wakes you up, whether hot or cold makes it worse, and whether anything at all makes it better. Those answers separate a cracked filling from an abscess quickly.

Then say you are coming from Coarsegold. It matters, because it tells us whether to hold a space and how long you need to get here. If we cannot see you today, you will be told that on the phone rather than after you have driven up, along with what to do in the meantime.

First aid by problem

None of this replaces being seen. It buys you the time to get here.

Knocked-out adult tooth
Handle it by the crown, never the root. Rinse gently in milk if it is dirty and do not scrub it. Reinsert it into the socket if you can and bite on a clean cloth. If you cannot, keep it in milk and drive now. This one is genuinely time-sensitive.
Broken or cracked tooth
Rinse with warm water, put a cold pack against the cheek, keep any pieces, and stop chewing on that side.
Crown or filling out
Keep the crown somewhere safe and never use household adhesive on it. The tooth underneath will be sensitive to air and cold until it is covered again.
Toothache that wakes you at night
Pain that arrives unprompted, lingers, or wakes you is different from a twinge when you drink something cold. It usually means the nerve is involved and it needs an appointment rather than a wait.
Something is stuck between two teeth
Floss carefully first. Never use a pin, a knife point or anything metal. If floss does not clear it and the gum is sore, call.

When it happens on a Friday

The office is closed Friday through Sunday. A tooth that breaks on Friday afternoon is a long weekend if you do nothing about it, so call as soon as the office opens on Monday and describe it as an emergency rather than booking an ordinary appointment.

In the meantime, keep the area clean, avoid chewing on it, and take whatever pain relief you already know is safe for you. If swelling starts or a fever develops over the weekend, that is a medical problem and it does not wait for Monday. Go to an emergency room.

When you are through it, the underlying question is usually worth answering. A tooth that broke without warning often had a crack running through it for a long time. What restorative options look like.

The route from Coarsegold

Highway 41 runs north out of Coarsegold and into Oakhurst, where Road 426 branches off in town. It is the same road home, which is why appointments here often get booked around a grocery run.

All of it happens at one address, 49414 Road 426 in Oakhurst. There is no second location, and the hours are Monday to Wednesday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Thursday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.

The clinical detail without the travel notes is on the dental emergencies page. Everything else written for this community is on the Coarsegold page.