Same-Day Emergency Dentistry

Here is a look at the most common dental emergencies:

• A Persistent Toothache: Rinse gently with warm water and use floss to remove anything caught between two teeth. Avoid placing aspirin directly on the aching tooth to prevent damage to your gums. Persistent pain is usually a sign of infection, which, left untreated, can cause oral and overall complications, so it’s important to seek immediate care.
• A Chipped or Broken Tooth: Save any pieces of the tooth in some milk or saliva and rinse your mouth with warm water. Place gentle pressure with a piece of gauze to stop bleeding, and apply cold compresses to relieve pain or swelling. A minor tooth chip can wait a day or two, but if you have a large chip or fracture, you need to seek prompt care.
• A Knocked-Out Tooth: Pick up the affected tooth by its crown and rinse it with water if it is dirty, without touching the root. Try to return the tooth to its socket, but if that’s not possible, place it in a cup or container of milk to keep it moist. Call us immediately—the sooner a knocked-out tooth is treated, the more likely it is to be successfully re-implanted.
• A Loose or Dislodged Tooth: Place gentle pressure on the tooth with a piece of clean gauze to keep it in place. Rinse with warm salt water and use cold compresses to relieve pain or swelling. A loose or dislodged tooth requires immediate care, so be sure to give us a call right away.
• An Abscessed Tooth: A tooth abscess is a painful infection that, left untreated, can damage the surrounding teeth and may spread to other parts of the body. It can appear as a pimple-like bump on the gums. Rinse with a mild salt water solution, use cold compresses for pain and swelling relief, and contact our office for immediate care.
• Soft Tissue Injury: Injuries to the lips, gums, tongue, or inside of the cheeks, place gentle pressure with a clean gauze to stop bleeding. Cold compresses can ease your pain and swelling. If you have heavy bleeding that you can’t control, head to your closest hospital Emergency Room.
• Lost Crown or Filling: If you’ve lost a crown or filling, use over-the-counter dental cement or denture adhesive to temporarily hold your restoration in place. Never use super glue to reattach your crown or filling. Contact us to schedule an appointment for prompt care.

Disclaimer: These are general guidelines and are not a substitute for professional medical care. Moreover, if you experience head trauma or a life-threatening emergency, dial 911 for immediate assistance.