Patients, families and friends of Gilbert & Goff dental practice,
A DENTAL EMERGENCY IS:
-Spontaneous throbbing tooth pain NOT triggered by any stimulus (biting or temperature sensitivity)
-Substantial swelling either intraorally or extraorally (including facial swelling of a suspected tooth origin)
-A broken tooth with throbbing tooth pain
-A tooth ache that is so intense that you are considering going to the ER
We acknowledge that there will be other dental inconveniences during this undetermined period of time; however, as per the Ohio State Dental Board we are not permitted to address these. The COVID-19 virus is very contagious, way more so that the seasonal flu. We have thoroughly cleaned and disinfected our office if case of a dental emergency. Truly, the majority of our dental practice consists of the most at-risk populations (those 65 years or older, those with underlying medical conditions, and those in long-term care facilities). We will NOT put our patients or staff at risk for anything other than a true dental emergency.
We realize that many of our patients are in the middle of treatment. Rest assured, your treatment will be completed when the time is appropriate. However, if you are a patient in the middle of treatment, please read the following recommendations below to address circumstances you may encounter.
For patients in temporary prosthetics on natural teeth (crowns or bridges), if the temporary simply becomes loose or uncemented:
-A little toothpaste inside the temporary can be a quick fix, but we would not recommend chewing on that side of the mouth until a more substantial solution can be accomplished. If you are at all concerned about swallowing the temporary, please just leave it out. Do NOT throw it away!
-In the dental aisle of most drug/grocery stores (Walgreens, CVS, Target, Giant Eagle, etc.) a repair kit for lost fillings and loose crowns can be purchased for around $5. Some product names include: DenTek Temparin Max - Lost Filling & Loose Cap Repair and Dentemp Loose Cap & Lost Filling Repair. Also, denture adhesive paste (Fixadent, Poly Grip, etc.) found in a tube may be used. Read the instructions and make sure to clean the surfaces of the teeth and the temporary appliance prior to recementing.
If the temporary is broken and cannot simply be recemented:
-Do not try to continue to wear the prosthetic as you may accidentally swallow it
-If the exposed tooth IS NOT causing any pain, do not be concerned an uncovered tooth will be just fine
-If the exposed tooth IS causing extreme tooth sensitivity and is making eating very uncomfortable call the office to contact the on-call dentist for further instructions (614-451-1300)
For those wearing dental implant supported prosthetics that are screwed into the mouth and are NOT REMOVABLE (a.k.a. Hybrids, temporary Hybrids, Teeth-in-a-Day, etc.) that have become noticeably loose or rocking:
-Call the office the contact the on-call dentist for further instructions (614-451-1300)
The State of Ohio has required us to be closed for normal treatment at least for the next two weeks. This mandate will be reevaluated by the State after April 1st. We will notify you of changes and when it is appropriate to reschedule you. If you know you have a scheduled appointment with our office over the next two weeks, Holly or Lea will be calling you to cancel this appointment, but this email also serves to advise you that your appointment is cancelled. We cannot reschedule you for a particular date and time at this moment due to the unpredictable near future and an unknown reopen date. Please know we value your trust and confidence in our office and you will be a priority when we are indeed able to reschedule.
We thank you in advance for your understanding and support. As you know, your safety, and the safety of our families and staff members are the top priority, always. In addition, we are being shown through robust evidence that it truly is our civic duty, even to those members of our community with whom we may not directly interact, to do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19. You and your families are in our thoughts and prayers during this time, and we wish you peace and continued good health. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Dr Andy Gilbert and Dr Douglas Goff