Emergency Dental Care

Do I Need Emergency Dental Care?

First, call a dentist’s office. The staff can ask questions about your injuries and determine whether you need to come into the office or go to urgent care. Call your dentist even outside of their normal business hours: they may have an answering service or an emergency line. 

In general, if something hurts, you may have an emergency. Injuries which require immediate dental care include:

• Knocking out an adult tooth
• Jaw injuries
• Possible fractures
• A punctured lip

If you have injured your lip or tongue and are unable to control bleeding with pressure or a cold compress, seek medical attention. 

Not every injury requires emergency care, though. Depending on the severity of the injury and the location of the tooth, a cracked or broken tooth may not constitute an emergency.

If you cannot reach your dentist, visit the nearest emergency room and to determine whether the injury can wait or needs immediate care.

Cracked Teeth

If you crack a tooth, you need to see a dentist. In some cases, the tooth looks fine, but hurts when you put pressure on it or when you drink something hot or cold. A tooth that hurts all the time may have nerve damage and is a sign of a serious condition. For some patients, cracked teeth only hurt when they release pressure from the tooth. 

Broken Teeth

As soon as you notice a break, you should see your dentist. Breaks often damage the nerves inside of your teeth. While you do not need to go to the emergency room for a break, try to make an appointment for the same day. Until your appointment:

• Periodically rinse your mouth with warm water
• Use a cold pack to reduce swelling and relieve pain 
• Take an over-the-counter pain medication
• Apply pressure with gauze or a damp tea bag if there is bleeding

If you cannot see your dentist right away, you can use dental cement from a drugstore to cover the broken tooth. Dental cement can hold your tooth together temporarily and prevent further damage. 

Sometimes, dental fillings or crowns fall out. This situation is rarely an emergency. However, it can be painful and you should see your dentist promptly after it happens. Your filling or crown was in place for a reason and leaving it untreated can cause other issues to develop. You can protect and seal the tooth surface with dental cement until you can see your dentist.