Emergency Dental Care

Start with the part that is not negotiable. Facial swelling that is spreading, swelling with a fever, or any difficulty breathing or swallowing is a reason to go to an emergency room or urgent care immediately. So is uncontrolled bleeding or a significant injury to the jaw. Those are medical situations first, and no appointment slot is worth waiting on them.

A permanent tooth that has been knocked out is time-critical. Handle it by the crown rather than the root, rinse it briefly with milk or saline if it is dirty, and either place it back in the socket or keep it in milk while you get seen right away. Everything else — a broken tooth, a crown that came off, a filling that fell out, pain that has been building — is urgent but has more room in it. Keep any pieces, avoid chewing on that side, and call so a practice can be found that has time today.

What this usually involves

• Spreading swelling, fever, or trouble breathing or swallowing: seek urgent medical care, do not wait
• Knocked-out permanent tooth: handle by the crown, keep it moist, be seen immediately
• Broken or chipped teeth — keep the pieces if you have them
• Lost crowns and fillings that came out
• Sudden tooth pain, including pain that wakes you up

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