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How to Know if Your Dental Pain Is an Emergency

July 29, 2024

Not all dental problems can wait for a regular appointment during business hours. Severe toothache, oral injuries, dental trauma, or infections require immediate care. Failing to follow through with a proper dental examination can lead to unforeseen complications in treatment, such as a tooth becoming irreparable.

This blog will explain several situations that should be considered dental emergencies and share what you can do before seeing your dentist.

Emergency Dental Issues Requiring Immediate Treatment

Facial Trauma

You may need emergency dental care if you incur a blow to the face, fall, or accident. If you have uncontrollable bleeding, broken facial bones, or severe lacerations, call 911 or visit your emergency room before calling us. We will happily see to your dental concerns once you’ve received the immediate medical treatment necessary to ensure your safety and bodily health.

Severe Toothache

If your toothache is bad enough that you cannot sleep, eat, or relax, it could indicate an emergency. Call us immediately for help. Got to and ER if you are experience large amounts of swelling or swelling that has moved below the jaw line or onto the neck. Such infections can lead to cardiac events and require immediate intervention that can be best administered at a hospital.

Cracked or Broken Tooth

Call us immediately if your cracked or broken tooth hurts or has a compromised structure. If your tooth has a severe break or crack, it may be vulnerable to a severe abscess or infection if you do not receive prompt care. You may need an emergency root canal. Further, cracks may lead to fracture of tooth structure in such a way as to render a tooth un-fixable. In the meantime, try to save the pieces of the broken tooth and bring them to your appointment and be mindful of what you chew/eat.

Knocked-Out Tooth

A knocked-out tooth is an urgent situation. The faster you see your dentist, the more likely they can restore your knocked-out tooth.

To preserve your tooth, hold it by the crown (never the root) and gently rinse it under lukewarm water. Place the tooth back in the socket until you arrive in our office. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a small cup of milk, saliva, saline (not for contact lenses) or a solution called Save-a-Tooth, which should be available at your pharmacy. If you see the dentist within an hour, you have an increased chance of replanting your tooth.

Dislodged Tooth

If your tooth is partially knocked out, call us immediately.

Dental Infection

If you have symptoms of a dental infection call us for emergency care. Symptoms include gum swelling, pimple-like growths on your gums, pain from pressure, heightened temperature sensitivity, and severe tooth pain. You may also have a fever or chills. You may need an emergency tooth extraction or root canal.

Non-Emergencies Needing Prompt Care

While the following situations are urgent, they can likely wait for an appointment during business hours. However, if you have questions about whether your situation needs after-hours care, please call us for help.

Minor Crack or Chip in Tooth

If the tooth's structure is solid and nothing hurts, you can wait until the next business day to see us.

Minor Toothache

A dull toothache is not an emergency unless accompanied by infection symptoms. If your pain responds to comfort measures like cold compresses and over-the-counter pain medication, you can likely wait until the next day to see the dentist.

Broken or Lost Restoration

In the absence of severe pain, a lost crown or filling can wait for regular business hours.

When to See the Emergency Room First

If you have a life-threatening injury, always call 911 or go to the emergency room before calling your dentist. Following are situations that need emergency medical care:

Broken facial bones
Severe, uncontrollable bleeding
Significant soft tissue injuries
Severe infection symptoms

After your condition stabilizes, you can see us for dental treatment. When in doubt, call the emergency room first.

Accessing Urgent Dental Care

Finding an emergency dentist before you need one is best because not every practice offers this care. Switching to a dental practice that provides emergency care means you will see a familiar practitioner if you find yourself in a difficult situation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Emergency Dentistry

What are the consequences of avoiding emergency dental care?

If you choose to put off treatment, your issue could become more complex. You may need more costly and extensive treatment in the future. You may lose a tooth and require a restoration like a bridge or implant.

What should I do if my child's baby tooth is knocked out?

You should call us immediately to have your child's situation assessed. Unfortunately, we cannot replant baby teeth because they harm the permanent ones underneath. We want to check whether your child has suffered other oral injuries or tooth damage.