Emergency Dentist

What to do During a Dental Emergency

Do you have a dental emergency? We can help.

The first thing you should do is book an appointment with us as soon as possible. We reserve time in our schedule for emergency patients, so call us and explain your condition in as much detail as you can. This guide will go over several different kinds of dental emergencies and what you can do.

Chipped Teeth

• May or may not qualify as a dental emergency depending on the chip
• A chip into the deeper layers of your tooth requires an emergency dentist appointment
• For pain relief, rinse your mouth out with warm water, apply cold compresses, take over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatories, and apply clove oil to the area

Cracked Teeth

• Requires an emergency dentist appointment
• For pain relief, rinse your mouth with warm water, take Tylenol and avoid aspirin, and avoid placing painkillers on your gums
• May damage your inner tooth, leading to further complications and requiring dental procedures

Sensitive Teeth

• May or may not qualify as a dental emergency depending on the cause
• For pain relief, rinse your mouth out with warm water, brush, and floss your teeth daily
• If pain persists, book an appointment

Swollen Face

• May indicate teeth abscesses or pericoronitis—two conditions that require emergency dental appointments
• Tooth abscesses are small pimples on your gum and a sign of severe gum disease
• For pain relief with tooth abscesses, wrap an ice pick in a towel against your cheek, use Tylenol or ibuprofen, and avoid tobacco use
• Pericoronitis is gum inflammation around a wisdom tooth that is blocked from erupting
• For pain relief with pericoronitis, use over-the-counter pain relievers, warm salt-water rinses, oral water irrigators, and good oral hygiene

Tooth Pain

• May or may not qualify as a dental emergency depending on the cause
• For pain relief, rinse your mouth with warm water, gently floss, use over-the-counter pain medicine except for aspirin, and hold an ice pack against your face where the tooth is sore
• If pain persists, book an appointment

Wisdom Teeth Pain

• Indicates that your wisdom tooth is impacted and requires an emergency dentist appointment
• Impacted teeth symptoms include gum pain, bleeding, tenderness, red and swollen gums, swelling around the jaw, and headaches
• Untreated impacted wisdom teeth may lead to pericoronitis, gum disease, and misaligned bites
• For pain relief, take over-the-counter pain relievers, use warm salt-water rinses, and apply clove oil to the affected area

Chipped Tooth

Teeth often chip because of injuries, teeth grinding, or are worn down over time. The seriousness of the conditions depends on the circumstances of the chip.

If your chipped tooth is painless, it may not be a dental emergency requiring immediate treatment—just try to get in for an appointment during the next few days. Make sure to take precautions while chewing so you don’t chip it even more.

However, a chip into the deeper layers of your tooth, past your enamel, could be cause for concern and an emergency dentist appointment.

Wondering how you can get immediate pain relief for your chipped tooth? Healthline recommends these methods:

• Rinse your mouth with warm water
• Apply cold compresses to the outside area every few minutes to reduce swelling
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatories
• Apply clove oil to the area—it contains a natural numbing agent with anti-inflammatory properties

Cracked Tooth

According to the American Dental Association, a cracked tooth is an emergency that requires a dentist appointment as soon as possible.

After booking your appointment, follow these steps to get immediate pain relief for your broken tooth:

• Rinse your mouth with warm water and apply cold compresses to the outside area every few minutes to reduce swelling
• Take acetaminophen (like Tylenol) to reduce pain—avoid aspirin
• Avoid placing painkillers on your gums as they may burn them

Damage may have occurred to the inside of your tooth, jeopardizing the pulp inside. The damaged pulp may lead to the inflammation, infection, or death of the tooth, so it is critical to visit us as fast as possible.

Dental treatments for cracked teeth include crowns or root canal treatments.

Sensitive Teeth

Experience sharp tooth pain when eating or drinking something hot or cold?

You may have tooth sensitivity. According to Healthline, most tooth sensitivity is caused by worn tooth enamel or exposed nerves.

In most cases, tooth sensitivity does not indicate an emergency. The American Dental Association notes that proper oral hygiene is the best way to prevent tooth sensitivity. Make sure to rinse your mouth out with warm water, brush, and floss your teeth daily.

However, if the pain lasts longer than a day or two, you should book an appointment.

Swollen Face

Have you developed swollen cheeks or a puffy face around your mouth?

These are common symptoms of tooth abscesses and pericoronitis—both conditions that warrant a dentist appointment as soon as possible.

A tooth abscess looks like a small pimple on your gums and is a sign of serious gum disease. In addition to a swelling face, you may also notice symptoms like fever, severe toothaches, and the drainage of pus.

Emergency treatment is critical to stop the spread of infection. Further, the Western Journal of Medicine notes that without dental treatment, the abscess will recur.

For relief after booking your appointment, Healthline recommends treatments, such as:

• Putting an ice pack wrapped in a towel against your cheek
• Over-the-counter medicine like Tylenol or ibuprofen
• Avoiding tobacco of any kind

A swollen face could also be an indicator of pericoronitis—the inflammation of gum tissue that occurs around an emerging wisdom tooth.

In the case of pericoronitis, book a dentist appointment immediately.

Afterwards, Healthline recommends these home treatments to relieve pain:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers
• Warm salt-water rinses
• Oral water irrigators
• Good oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing

Avoid using hot compresses or aspirin.

Tooth Pain

Tooth pain does not always indicate a dental emergency.

The American Dental Associations recommends rinsing your mouth with warm water and gently using floss to remove any food caught between your teeth.

If the pain persists or is severe, you should first book a dentist appointment, then focus on pain relief.

The Canadian Dental Association advises taking over-the-counter pain medicine except for aspirin. You should also avoid putting the pills on your sore tooth.

Next, hold an ice pack against your face where the tooth is sore. Do not hold anything hot against your face—it will make the pain worse.

Wisdom Tooth Pain

As your wisdom teeth grow in, they may become blocked from erupting by other teeth or your jawbone. This condition is called an impacted wisdom tooth.

If impacted wisdom teeth go untreated, it may lead to inflammation (pericoronitis), gum disease, and a misaligned bite. Therefore, the American Dental Associations warns that you should book a dentist appointment immediately.

Common symptoms include:

• Gum pain
• Bleeding
• Tenderness
• Red or swollen gums
• Swelling around jaw
• Headaches

If you’re waiting for an appointment, you can relieve some pain in the meantime by using:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers
• Warm salt-water rinses
• Apply clove oil to the area—it contains a natural numbing agent with anti-inflammatory properties

What is a dental emergency?

Potential dental emergencies include but are not limited to:

• Deep tooth chips
• Cracked teeth
• Intense or prolonged tooth sensitivity
• Swelling in the face and jaw
• Intense or prolonged tooth pain
• Wisdom teeth pain

These conditions can lead to further complications if they remain unaddressed, so it is critical to see us and receive treatment.