Our Phoenix office is closed on Sunday. Our phone is not. A real person answers (602) 737-2446 24/7, and we hold you the first Monday slot at 7am. We're open Saturday, 7am to 5pm. If your face is swelling and you have a fever, go to the emergency room today.
What Sunday looks like at our office
We see patients Monday through Saturday, 7am to 5pm. On Sunday the office is closed, with no exception for emergencies.
What doesn't stop on Sunday is the phone. A live answering service picks up around the clock, takes your name and what's going on, and passes it to us. You're put down for the first opening Monday morning at 7am, and that slot is held for you.
If your problem started on a Saturday instead, we're open 7am to 5pm, and every service on our list is available that day; details are on our Saturday emergency dentist page.
A Sunday toothache: getting through until Monday
Most toothaches, even bad ones, can be managed for a day. Mayo Clinic's toothache first aid guidance is simple and worth following:
Rinse your mouth with warm water. Floss gently around the sore tooth to clear any food that's wedged in. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever as the label directs. Don't put aspirin or any other painkiller directly on the gum, because it can burn the tissue. If the pain came from a hit to the mouth, hold a cold compress against the outside of your cheek.
Skip very hot, very cold and very sweet foods. Chew on the other side. Sleep with your head propped up a little; lying flat tends to make a throbbing tooth throb harder.
Then call us. Even on Sunday afternoon, a person answers, and you'll have a Monday 7am time before you hang up. Our toothache relief page explains what our dentists look for once you're in the chair.
A knocked-out tooth on a Sunday
This is the one Sunday problem where the clock matters most. A permanent tooth that's knocked out has the highest chance of being saved if it's put back in the socket quickly and kept moist the whole time.
The ADA's dental emergencies guide says to hold the tooth by the crown, rinse it gently if it's dirty without scrubbing, and try to place it back in the socket. If that's not possible, keep it between your cheek and gum, in milk, or in a tooth preservation kit. Never let it dry out, and in Phoenix heat, keep it cool.
A knocked-out adult tooth cannot wait until Monday. Go to the nearest emergency room now, keep the tooth moist on the way using the steps above, and call our line afterward; the person who answers takes your details and holds you the first Monday slot for follow-up. Our knocked-out tooth page covers what happens at that visit.
Swelling, fever or trouble swallowing: go to the ER, not a dentist
Some Sunday problems shouldn't wait for any dentist. If you have swelling in your face along with a fever, swelling that's spreading toward your eye or down your neck, or any trouble breathing or swallowing, go to an emergency room now. Mayo Clinic's tooth abscess page lists exactly those signs as reasons to go to the ER, because they can mean the infection is moving deeper into the jaw, throat or neck.
Near our office in northwest Phoenix, the closest hospital emergency rooms are Banner Thunderbird Medical Center at 59th Avenue and Thunderbird Road, HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center on Dunlap Avenue east of Central Avenue, and Abrazo Central Campus at Bethany Home Road and 19th Avenue.
The ER will treat the dangerous part, usually with antibiotics and pain medication, and tell you to see a dentist. That's where Monday morning comes in. Bring the discharge papers with you.
Getting through Sunday night: a step-list
- Check for danger signs: fever with facial swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing, bleeding that won't stop. Any of those means the ER, tonight.
- If none apply, take an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed and rinse with warm salt water.
- Call (602) 737-2446. A real person answers. Give your name and the problem, and we hold you the first Monday slot at 7am.
- Eat soft food, chew on the other side, and keep hot and cold drinks away from the tooth.
- Sleep with your head elevated. Set an alarm for 6am so you can be here when the door opens.
- If anything changes overnight, swelling especially, treat it as a danger sign and go to the ER.
When to call a dentist today
Call (602) 737-2446 any day, any hour. Monday through Saturday, 7am to 5pm, we hold same-day times and welcome walk-ins. On Sunday, the call gets you the first Monday opening. Every visit starts with a $45 exam and X-rays, and you'll see a written price before any treatment begins. The $45 covers the emergency exam and diagnostic X-rays. Treatment is priced separately and quoted to you in writing before any work starts. Our same-day dentist page explains how the visit runs.
Frequently asked questions
Do you answer the phone on Sunday?
Yes. A live answering service takes calls 24/7, including all day Sunday. They can't put you in a chair on Sunday, but they can hold you the first Monday slot at 7am and note what's going on so our dentists are ready. The danger signs that mean the ER instead are listed above.
Can I book a Monday appointment on Sunday?
Yes. That's exactly what the Sunday call is for. Give the person who answers your name, number and a short description of the problem, and you're held for Monday at 7am, the first opening of the week. You don't need to call back Monday morning to confirm.
Are you open Saturdays?
Yes, every Saturday from 7am to 5pm, with the $45 exam and X-rays and the full range of treatment. If your problem starts on a Friday night or Saturday, you don't need to wait for Monday at all. Our Saturday emergency dentist page has the details.
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for an exam by a licensed dentist.
Published by Emergency Dentist in Phoenix, 10209 N 35th Ave Ste 129B, Phoenix, AZ 85051.