This section of our Web site will provide our patients with information they can use before and after their treatment. Right now, if you have a dental emergency or oral concern, review our suggestions and then call us at 908-874-4555. After hours emergency phone numbers are available on our phone system.

When Dental Emergencies and other oral problems occur... Smiling, kissing, and eating... These are some of the wonderful things for which we need our mouths and teeth! Of course, keeping our mouths and teeth clean and healthy is a major concern, but emergencies can arise. Here are some first aid tips to use before you can get some relief from your DENTIST!

The best treatment is to let your dentist help you right away. Teeth don 't heal themselves. Sometimes a person will have a toothache for 2-3 days and it will 'go-away'. Don 't be fooled! The problem is still there. Remember seeing your dentist early can prevent pain, expense and maybe tooth loss!

LOST FILLING? See your dentist as soon as you can. Why? The soft inner part of the tooth exposed when a filling is lost can decay quickly! If you can't see a dentist right away, be sure to keep the tooth super clean. If pain should develop, try some aspirin or an aspirin substitute until you see your dentist.

OOPS - A BROKEN TOOTH! Most often, a broken tooth is a result of a blow to the face or from chomping on especially hard foods. If you happen to break a tooth, don't panic! See a dentist as soon as possible and if the tooth hurts, take some aspirin or an aspirin substitute. Hot or cold foods and drinks can aggravate the tooth so do avoid them. A broken tooth can be scary and even embarrassing! Get to a dentist quickly.

OUCH - A DENTURE SORE SPOT! Your dentist can usually relieve the cause of irritation quite easily. Adjustments after fitting dentures are very common! Until then, a little Ora-base applied to the spot will serve as a bandage if the area is really sore. If your dentures are old and loose, for your sake, don't try to reline them yourself or use denture adhesives. This can make matters worse, so see your dentist for any denture problem!

OH NO, YOUR CROWN (OR BRIDGE) FELL OFF! First, check the crown or bridge to see if it's in one piece. If it is, place a thin coat of petroleum jelly inside the crown or bridge. Then, carefully press it back in place. It is important to keep the teeth in their proper position by replacing the crown or bridge immediately. Do not chew on the replaced crown or bridges as it may come off again. This is only a temporary solution. Be sure to call your dentist as soon as you can to have the crown or bridge examined and re-cemented.

BROKEN ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE? If this should happen to you, place a ball of wax over the broken and/or jagged wires to prevent stabbing the inside of your mouth. Your pharmacist often has this type of wax for these types of emergencies. Call you orthodontist for immediate assistance.

COLD SORES BOTHERING YOU? Cold sores are symptoms of a virus and can be awfully painful. As with any virus, these sores run their course in about 7 to 10 days. If these sores appear on or about your lips, keep them moist with some petroleum jelly. Your dentist will be able to help with a new prescription drug especially for these sores. If the sores aren't gone within 7 to 10 days, or worsen, call your dentist!

HELP FOR TEETHING PAIN Teething can be a difficult time for babies and mommies! If your child seems to be uncomfortable, apply some Ora-jel to the area where the tooth is erupting. This gel is pleasantly flavored and can be applied directly to the problem area. Time cures this problem, so be patient!

HELP - MY TOOTH GOT KNOCKED OUT! First, find the tooth. Immediately after, call your dentist. Then wrap the tooth in clean wet gauze. It's important not to clean the tooth. Cleaning can damage the attachments on the tooth. Success is greatest if you see your dentist within thirty minutes after the accident. The longer you wait, the less possibility of success! Get to your dentist quickly!

Pictured (from left) in the front row (from left) are Marta Chludzinska, Merlinda Antes, Amanda Cathcart, Courtney Monteiro and Dr. Naina Kaushal. Center row (from left) are Dr. Lauren Psillos, Melissa Weinstein, Liz Kepniss, Site Coordinator of GiGi's Playhouse Hillsborough, and Chris Bove, Intern and Program Participant at Gigi's Playhouse Hillsborough. Back row are Colin McMullen, Board Member at Gigi's Playhouse Hillsborough, Jennifer Ciantar, Jaime Romanak, Nancy Alfaro, Dr. Albert Internoscia, Amy Belton and Megan Kreider. (courtesy photo)

From the months of March to June, Towne Centre Family Dental participated in Smiles for Life, a charitable organization comprised of hundreds of dental practices throughout the U.S. and Canada who professionally whiten teeth to raise money for disabled and underprivileged children in their local communities and around the world.

Since Gigi's opened in January of 2015, over three hundred families have become a part of their community, and over 2,000 volunteer hours have been donated to run the twenty five programs dedicated to raising awareness. On Sept. 24, they celebrated the grand opening of their new location in Hillsborough, a necessary move for the center as it had outgrown its previous space.

'We are grateful to Towne Centre Family Dentil for their support!' said Liz Kepniss, Site Coordinator at Gigi 's Playhouse Hillsborough. 'Their donation will help us continue to fund free educational and therapeutic programs for individuals of all age with Down syndrome.'

STAFF PHOTOS BY MATTHEW APGAR Marie Escamilla, 9, of Hillsborough gets free dental care from Dr. Albert Internoscia, right, and dental assistant and translator Allen Lopez, left, on Friday at Towne Center Family Dental on Route 206 for Give Kids a Smile Day

The facility's three dentists, Albert Internoscia, Lauren Psillos and Dawn DiGrazia, three hygienists, three clinical assistants and two office staff members volunteered their time and services from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday for the cause.

Internoscia said parents learned about the event through school handouts and at businesses with the help from the township's Economic and Business and Development Commission. He added the children would normally get dental care only if in pain, and it likely would be at a Medicaid clinic in Somerville or Manville.

While staring up at cartoons on a flatscreen TV, Maria Escamilla, 9, a fourth-grader at Hillsborough Elementary School, braved the filling of six cavities and two root canals. Allen Lopez of Weehawken, a dental assistant, asked the youngster how she was feeling between drilling performed by Internoscia.

'Wow, this is really great,' said her sister, Mariana Escamilla, 19, a 2005 Hillsborough High School graduate. 'I thought maybe she would get a free cleaning, but they 're doing her cavities now. They 're giving their own time for people who really need dental care.'

In addition to 'Give Kids a Smile Day,' the dental office also will be visiting kindergarten and preschool children in Manville and Hillsborough throughout February to teach the children about proper brushing habits. Those children also will be receiving goody bags in celebration of 'Children 's Dental Health Month.'

Towne Centre Family Dental was joined by about 40,000 dental professionals and volunteers nationwide in providing free educational, preventive and restorative dental services to children from low income families at 2,000 locations across the country, according to the American Dental Association.