Emergency Dentistry

Dental Emergency Instructions

Stay calm. Focus on stopping the bleeding and protecting the injured tooth or area by following the applicable instructions in this section. If your emergency is life-threatening, dial 911 for Emergency Medical Services or go immediately to a hospital emergency room.

Severe Pain

The most common causes are debris lodged under the gum line, a lost filling or crown, a cracked or broken tooth, or an infection. Call the office to set up an appointment so we can determine the underlying cause of severe pain. Until you see the dentist apply ice to the painful area for 10-20 minutes every hour.

Possible Broken Jaw

Do not move your jaw. Secure your jaw in place with a handkerchief, necktie, or towel tied around the jaw and over the top of the head. Use cold compresses to reduce swelling. Go to the emergency room immediately.

Chipped or Broken Tooth

It may be possible to reattach the pieces to your tooth. Take the following steps and contact the office immediately for an emergency appointment. Remember to take the pieces with you.

For the Injured Person:

• Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it.
• Apply gauze to the area and use firm pressure to stop the bleeding.
• Try to find the chipped or broken tooth pieces right away.
• When the bleeding stops, apply a cold compress to the injured area to minimize swelling.
• If bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes of constant, firm pressure, see your dentist or go to the emergency room.

For the Chipped or Broken Tooth:

• Save the tooth’s pieces and rinse the pieces and your mouth with warm water.
• If the tooth’s pieces are dirty, place a towel or dishcloth in a sink (so the pieces cannot fall into the drain), and gently rinse them.
• Place the pieces in a small container and cover them with milk, water with a pinch of salt, or saliva from the injured person.

Knocked-Out Tooth

A Child’s Baby Tooth

Contact the office immediately. If the child’s baby tooth is completely knocked out, chances are it cannot be re-implanted. If this happens, the missing tooth will be replaced naturally when the child’s permanent (adult) tooth grows in. Orthodontic space maintenance may be needed if the tooth knocked out is one that will not be replaced by the adult tooth for years. Your dentist will determine if space maintenance is necessary.

A Permanent (Adult) Tooth

There is a 1-2 hour window in which your tooth has a chance for re-implantation. Take the following steps and contact the office immediately for an emergency appointment. Remember to bring your protected tooth with you.

For the Injured Person:

• Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it.
• Apply gauze to the area and use firm pressure to stop the bleeding.
• Try to find the missing tooth right away.
• When the bleeding stops, apply a cold compress to the injured area to minimize swelling.
• If bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes of constant, firm pressure, see your dentist or go to the emergency room.
• Place the tooth in a small container and cover it with milk, water with a pinch of salt, or saliva from the injured person.

For the Broken Tooth:

• Hold the tooth only by its crown (the enamel, visible portion).
• If the tooth or root is dirty, place a towel or dishcloth in a sink (so the tooth cannot fall into the drain), and gently rinse the tooth and root but DO NOT SCRUB it or remove any gum tissue that may still be attached to the root.
• If possible, gently place the tooth back into its gum socket facing the correct direction (making sure that you do not force the tooth back in place).
• If this is not possible, place the tooth in a small container and cover the tooth with milk, water with a pinch of salt, or saliva from the injured person.

Lost Filling or Crown

Call and schedule an appointment. You can relieve pain caused by air in contact with the exposed part of your tooth by using clove oil which is available over-the-counter in pharmacies and supermarkets. Just dip a cotton swab in clove oil and apply it to the exposed part of your tooth. Putting an ice pack on your face over the area that hurts also may relieve the pain.

Filling:

• If you found the filling, put it in a safe place and bring it to your appointment
• To make your tooth more comfortable, fill the hole in your tooth with tooth wax which is available over-the-counter at your pharmacy. Do not use any household adhesives in your mouth.

Crown:

• If you found the crown, you may temporarily replace it yourself until you see your dentist.
• Gently clean any debris from the inside of your crown.
• To the inside of your crown, apply denture adhesive, or toothpaste before slipping the crown back in place to protect your tooth.

Toothache

Clean your mouth out by rinsing thoroughly with warm water. Gently floss around the tooth to remove any food particles that may be trapped between your teeth or just under your gum line. If your tooth continues to hurt contact the office for an emergency appointment.

Pain, Swelling, or Abscess

You should see us right away because gum pain or swelling can be the symptoms of an abscess (infection) that forms in gum tissue or in a tooth’s root and the area that surrounds it. Call the office for an emergency appointment right away. There are many reasons why gums can swell, become painful, or abscess. Only a thorough exam can identify the underlying cause.

If the abscess ruptures, you may experience a sudden rush of foul-smelling and foul-tasting fluid from the swollen or painful area. Rinse your mouth with warm water immediately.