Tooth pain?
(562) 422-6838
Language / Idioma
ENES
Leila Zamiri DDS, Inc.
Tooth pain?

Emergency dental care

In pain? Call us. We keep time open.

Walk-ins and same-day emergencies are welcome at both of our Long Beach offices. Calling is the fastest way to be seen — the team can tell you where to go and have you ready before you arrive.

Not urgent?

When to go to the ER instead

If you have facial swelling that is spreading, a fever, trouble swallowing or trouble breathing, or bleeding you cannot stop, go to urgent care or the emergency room, or call 911. Those need medical care faster than a dental office can safely provide it.

What counts as a dental emergency

If you are not sure, call and describe it. We would rather tell you it can wait than have you sit with something that cannot.

  • Pain that is keeping you awake or that painkillers are not touching
  • Swelling in your face, jaw or gum
  • A tooth knocked out, pushed out of position, or broken to the gumline
  • Bleeding from the mouth that will not stop
  • A lost crown, filling or bridge leaving a sharp or painful tooth
  • An injury to the mouth from a fall, sport or an accident

What to do right now

General first-aid guidance while you get to us. It does not replace being seen, and it is not advice about medication — we will tell you what to take once we know what is going on.

A knocked-out adult tooth

  1. Pick it up by the crown — the chewing part — never by the root.
  2. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline. Do not scrub it and do not use soap.
  3. If you can, put it straight back into the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it.
  4. If you cannot, keep it in milk. Not water, and not dry in a tissue.
  5. Call us immediately. Time matters more here than with almost anything else in dentistry.

A child's knocked-out baby tooth

  1. Do not try to put it back. Replanting a baby tooth can damage the adult tooth forming above it.
  2. Rinse your child's mouth gently with water and use a cold compress on the outside for swelling.
  3. Call us so we can check the socket and the teeth either side.
  4. Save the tooth and bring it with you — it helps us confirm nothing is left behind.

A broken or chipped tooth

  1. Rinse your mouth with warm water and save any pieces you can find.
  2. A cold compress on the outside of the cheek reduces swelling.
  3. If a sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek, cover it with a piece of sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax until you can be seen.
  4. Call us. A tooth broken to the gumline or bleeding from the middle needs seeing today.

A lost crown or filling

  1. Keep the crown if you still have it and bring it in — it can often be re-cemented.
  2. Chew on the other side and avoid anything very hot, cold or sweet on that tooth.
  3. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can protect it for a day or two. Do not use household glue of any kind.
  4. Call the office. This is usually not urgent, but the tooth underneath is unprotected.

Swelling in the face or gum

  1. Call us straight away. Swelling means an infection has spread beyond the tooth.
  2. A cold compress on the outside can ease it while you arrange to be seen.
  3. Do not apply heat to the outside of the face and do not hold aspirin against the gum — it burns the tissue.
  4. If the swelling is spreading toward your eye or under your jaw, or you have a fever, trouble swallowing or trouble breathing, go to the emergency room or call 911. That is beyond what a dental visit can treat safely.

Ongoing toothache

  1. Rinse with warm salt water and floss gently either side of the tooth in case something is trapped.
  2. A cold compress on the outside helps. Do not put heat on it.
  3. Call us and describe what you are feeling — sharp, throbbing, worse lying down, worse with hot drinks. Each of those points somewhere different.
  4. We keep same-day time open for pain at both offices.

Office hours

  • Cherry Avenue Office

    (562) 422-6838

    • Monday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Tuesday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Wednesday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Thursday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Friday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • SaturdayClosed
    • SundayClosed

  • 10th Street Office

    (562) 438-2500

    • Monday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Tuesday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Wednesday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Thursday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • Friday9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
    • SaturdayClosed
    • SundayClosed

Questions patients ask

Do I need an appointment?

No. Walk-ins and same-day emergencies are welcome at both offices. Calling first is still faster, because we can tell you which office can see you sooner and have your details ready before you arrive.

What if you are closed?

Leave a message and we will get back to you when we open. If you have facial swelling, a fever, or any trouble breathing or swallowing, do not wait for us — go to urgent care or the emergency room.

I am not a patient here. Can you still see me?

Yes. You do not need to be an existing patient to be seen for an emergency. Bring your ID and insurance card if you have one, and we will sort the rest out.

What will it cost?

An emergency visit usually starts with an exam and an X-ray of the area so we know what we are dealing with. We tell you what treatment costs before we do it, and we take all PPO plans, Medi-Cal Dental, and offer CareCredit, Cherry and Sunbit.

Can you just give me antibiotics over the phone?

No. Antibiotics do not fix the cause of dental pain and prescribing without seeing you is not safe or appropriate. Come in and we will treat the actual problem.