Emergency Dentistry

What is a dental emergency?

There are several types of dental emergencies. Dental emergencies can consist of a sudden and severe toothache, an accident that chips or cracks a tooth, a damaged or loose restoration or a lost or damaged tooth. About 22 percent of people have experienced dental or oral pain in the last six months. To know if your child’s situation is an emergency, ask your child the following questions:

• Are you in severe pain or experiencing severe swelling?
• Do you have a painful toothache that will not subside?
• Do you have a loose or knocked-out tooth?
• Do you have swelling in your cheeks or face in combination with a toothache?
• Are you experiencing extreme tooth sensitivity?
• Are you bleeding from the mouth that will not stop?
• Is your jaw injured?

In general, any dental problem that needs immediate treatment to stop bleeding, alleviate severe pain, or save a tooth is considered an emergency. This consideration also applies to severe infections that can be life-threatening and constitute contacting your dental office.

What is not a dental emergency?

If you are experiencing a dental issue and it is not causing any pain or trauma, then it is likely not an emergency and can wait a few days before seeing your dentist. For example, if you have chipped or cracked a tooth, but it is not painful or causing any trauma inside your mouth, you can wait a few days before scheduling an appointment. Similarly, if you have lost a tooth or filling, you can generally wait a few days before seeing your dentist.

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

The best thing to do in a dental emergency is to contact your dentist, unless it is extremely severe, then you should go to the emergency room.

Depending on the dental emergency you are experiencing, there may be some things you can do to help ease your pain and help the situation. Some efforts include:

• Dissolve a teaspoon of salt into a mug of warm water and use it as a mouthwash
• If your tooth is knocked out, place it in a glass of milk until you can see your dentist
• Try flossing to eliminate any gum pressure
• Use a cold compress on the swelling or painful area
• Rinse with diluted Hydrogen Peroxide to kill bacteria
• Take over-the-counter pain medication to alleviate pain