Emergency Dentistry

What is a dental emergency?

There are several types of dental emergencies, such as sudden and severe toothaches, accidents that chip or crack teeth, damaged or loose restorations, or lost or damaged teeth.

If you answer ‘yes‘ to any of the following questions, you’re experiencing a dental emergency and should call us immediately.

• Are you experiencing severe pain or swelling?
• Do you have a painful toothache that won’t go away?
• Do you have a loose or entirely knocked-out tooth?
• Do you have swelling in your cheeks or face along with a toothache?
• Do you have an abscess or severe infection in your mouth?
• Are you experiencing extreme tooth sensitivity?
• Are you bleeding from the mouth, and the bleeding won’t stop?
• Is your jaw injured?

Generally, any dental issue requiring immediate treatment to stop bleeding, alleviate intense pain, or save a tooth is considered an emergency. This also applies to severe infections that may be life-threatening and require contacting your dental office.

Can you go to the ER for a dental emergency?

If you experience a dental emergency, it’s best to contact your dentist. However, if the situation is extremely severe, you should go to the emergency room.

If you are in severe pain that won’t go away, have bleeding that won’t stop, have facial trauma from an accident, or are experiencing any indication that you have a serious infection, you can go to the emergency room if your dentist is unavailable.

However, for most dental emergencies, you should visit your dentist as emergency rooms can’t treat the underlying issues that may be causing your pain (e.g., those who need a root canal, a broken tooth repaired, or tooth extraction).

What’s the best way to handle a dental emergency?

Depending on the type of dental emergency, there are some things you can do to alleviate the pain and help the situation. We’ve listed some ideas below:

• Dissolving a teaspoon of salt into a mug of warm water and using it as a mouthwash
• If your tooth is knocked out, pick it up by the crown, not the roots, and place it in a glass of milk until you can see your dentist
• Trying flossing to eliminate any gum pressure
• Using a cold compress on the swelling or painful area
• Rinsing with diluted hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria
• Taking over-the-counter pain medication to alleviate pain.