Emergency Dental Services
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
Dental emergencies can happen at any time and often need to be treated urgently. We are here to help.
If you think you may be experiencing a dental emergency, call us right away. We can help you assess the severity of your condition, and advise you on what to do next.
Depending on the nature and timing of your emergency, we may advise you to visit your nearest emergency room.
Below, you'll find a list of common dental emergencies we often see at our clinic and advice on what you can do until you are able to see a dentist.
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Lost Fillings or Crowns
If your filling or crown has been lost or damaged, call our office as soon as possible to book an appointment to have it repaired. If you have any fillings or crowns that have fallen out, rinse them and attempt to place them back on your tooth.
Injuries to the mouth, advanced tooth decay or chewing on foreign objects may cause dental crowns to become lost or broken.
Since losing a crown or filling leaves the tooth exposed to infection, we recommend seeking immediate dental care, since infections can develop quickly and spread to other areas of the body.
If you've lost a filling or crown, save it if possible, rinse it off carefully and store it in a safe place until you see the dentist. Make sure to bring the crown or filling to your dental appointment, so your dentist can attempt to put it back in place.
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Chipped or Broken Teeth
If you have a chipped or cracked tooth, phone our office right away to have it repaired.
Chips, cracks or tooth fractures can happen as a result of dental injury or trauma, eating, grinding your teeth, or other causes. Depending on the nature of your circumstances, we may recommend different approaches.
Broken Tooth
A severe tooth fracture can cause a sizeable portion of the tooth to be lost. If you can, keep the broken piece in a clean container and bring it with you in case it can be put back in its place.
If you are experiencing intense pain and bleeding, go to your nearest emergency room right away.
Chips & Cracks
Severe chips or cracks may worsen and lead to additional complications, such as increased sensitivity, oral infection or tooth loss. Signs that indicate a chipped tooth is a dental emergency include:
- A large chip
- Gum swelling
- Severe tooth sensitivity
- Swollen lymph nodes
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Knocked-Out Teeth
Call our office if your teeth have been knocked out. If this dental emergency occurs outside of our clinic hours, go to your nearest emergency room.
If an entire tooth has been knocked out, it's important to act swiftly but carefully to increase the chances it can be saved and re-implanted. Here are some instructions on what to do after you have called for help:
- Focus on finding the tooth. Though you can't re-implant it on your own, cleaning your tooth and putting it back into the tooth socket will give it the best chance of survival until you get emergency dental care.
- Rinse the tooth briefly with tap water or milk; don't scrub or soak the tooth, and don't wipe it down or wrap it in a paper towel.
- Consider taking an over-the-counter pain medication. Do not take aspirin if you are bleeding.
- Apply a cold compress against your cheek where the tooth has been lost to help reduce pain and swelling.
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Severe Swelling, Pain or Discomfort
Call us as soon as possible if you are experiencing sudden moderate swelling on your face, mouth or neck areas. If you experience severe swelling or have trouble breathing, go to your nearest emergency room immediately.
For moderate swelling, follow these steps to alleviate pain:
- Put a cold compress on the area of your cheek where you are feeling pain.
- Take an over-the-counter pain medication.
- Use salt water to flush the area that is in pain. This will help remove any debris that may be causing your toothache.
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