Emergency Dentistry

The steps below are general first aid for common dental emergencies. They are not a substitute for being seen. Call the clinic as soon as you can, and follow any advice your dentist gives you.

A knocked out adult tooth

Time matters with a knocked out permanent tooth. The sooner it is seen by a dentist, the better the chance it can be saved.

1. Pick the tooth up by the crown, the white part you normally see. Do not touch the root.
2. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly with milk or a gentle stream of cool water. Do not scrub it, dry it or wrap it in tissue.
3. If you can, gently place it back in the socket facing the right way, and hold it in place by biting softly on a clean cloth.
4. If you cannot put it back, keep it moist. Place it in a small container of milk, or keep it in your mouth in saliva, between your cheek and gums, if you are an adult and can do so without swallowing it. Do not store it in plain water.
5. Call us right away and get to a dentist as quickly as you can.

For a child’s baby tooth, do not try to put it back in. Keep the tooth, control any bleeding with gentle pressure and call us.

A broken, cracked or chipped tooth

1. Rinse your mouth gently with warm water.
2. If there is bleeding, press a piece of clean gauze on the area for about ten minutes.
3. Hold a cold pack wrapped in a cloth against your cheek to help with swelling.
4. Save any pieces of the tooth you can find and bring them with you.
5. If there is a sharp edge, you can cover it with sugar free gum or dental wax from a pharmacy to protect your tongue and cheek.
6. Avoid chewing on that side and call us to be seen. A crack can get worse with chewing, even if the pain comes and goes.

An abscess or swelling

An abscess is a pocket of infection, usually at the root of a tooth or in the gum. Signs include throbbing pain, swelling, a bump on the gum, a bad taste, tenderness when biting, and sometimes fever.

1. Call us the same day. An abscess usually needs treatment from a dentist and is unlikely to clear up on its own.
2. Rinse gently with warm salt water a few times a day to keep the area clean.
3. Hold a cold pack wrapped in a cloth against your cheek, on and off.
4. Do not place aspirin or any painkiller directly on the gum or tooth. It can burn the tissue.
5. Do not try to pop or drain the swelling yourself.

If swelling is spreading toward your eye, down your neck, or under your tongue, or if you have trouble breathing, swallowing or opening your mouth, go to the hospital emergency department or call 911. See below.

A lost filling or crown

1. If a crown comes off, keep it somewhere safe and bring it with you. It may be possible to put it back on.
2. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can often hold a crown in place, or cover the spot where a filling came out, until you are seen. Do not use household glue.
3. Avoid chewing on that side, and avoid sticky or very hot and cold foods.
4. Call us to book a visit. Without a filling or crown, the tooth underneath is more exposed to sensitivity, breakage and decay.

Bleeding

After an extraction or other treatment:

1. Fold a piece of clean gauze, place it over the area and bite down firmly for about 30 minutes without checking.
2. If bleeding continues, a moistened black tea bag held in place with steady pressure often helps.
3. Sit upright and rest. Avoid rinsing, spitting, straws, hot drinks and exercise.
4. If bleeding is still heavy after an hour of steady pressure, call us.

After an injury to the mouth:

Rinse gently with cool water, apply pressure with clean gauze, and call us. If a cut to the lip, tongue or face is deep or will not stop bleeding, go to the hospital emergency department.

A severe toothache

Rinse with warm water and floss gently around the tooth. Over the counter pain relief can help in the short term: follow the package directions and check with a pharmacist if you take other medications. Do not place painkillers on the gum. Call us, because severe or throbbing pain usually needs to be seen quickly.