Red Desert Dental holds emergency appointments open every day of the week in St. George, Utah, so a cracked tooth, a lost filling, or a child in pain is seen the same day you call. Call the practice first rather than waiting it out or going to an emergency room, which cannot treat the tooth itself.
What counts as a dental emergency
Call the same day for any of these: a tooth knocked out or pushed out of position, a cracked or broken tooth, pain that is keeping you awake or not responding to painkillers, swelling in the face or jaw, a lost filling or crown, or bleeding that will not stop. Swelling that is spreading, or that affects your breathing or swallowing, is not a wait-and-see situation; go to an emergency room.
What to do before you get here
For a knocked-out adult tooth, pick it up by the crown rather than the root, rinse it gently, and keep it in milk or in your cheek. Get to us within the hour if you can, because the odds of saving it fall away quickly. For a cracked tooth or lost filling, rinse with warm salt water, keep the area clean, and avoid chewing on that side. For swelling, a cold compress on the outside of the cheek helps until you are seen.
How quickly you will be seen
We keep appointments open every day of the week for exactly this, so calling in the morning normally means being seen that day. Describe the symptoms when you call and we will tell you whether to come straight in.
Children in pain
A child in dental pain is treated as an emergency here. Call and describe what happened; for a knocked-out baby tooth, do not try to reinsert it, but bring it with you. Parents stay alongside the chair throughout, which matters more in an emergency than at a checkup.
What emergency treatment costs
We tell you the cost of the visit and of whatever it turns out to need before we begin. Emergency appointments are usually about getting you out of pain first, with the permanent repair planned afterwards once you can think straight, and that second part is quoted separately so you are not agreeing to a large plan while in pain.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a same-day dental appointment in St. George?
Yes. Red Desert Dental holds emergency appointments open every day of the week, so calling in the morning normally means being seen the same day.
What should I do if a tooth gets knocked out?
Pick it up by the crown, not the root, rinse it gently, and keep it in milk or in your cheek. Call us straight away and try to be seen within the hour, because the chance of saving the tooth drops quickly.
Should I go to the emergency room for a toothache?
An emergency room can manage pain and infection but cannot treat the tooth, so you will end up at a dentist anyway. Call us first. The exception is swelling that is spreading or affecting your breathing or swallowing, which needs an emergency room now.
Red Desert Dental is on Canyon Rim Road in St. George, Utah, and we see families from across Washington County, including Washington, Santa Clara, Ivins, and Hurricane. Book a visit or call and describe what is going on; we will tell you what it usually takes before you come in.