Patient Information > 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.

Infection after a dental procedure is rare, especially when you follow proper steps for preventing infection. After your procedure, your dentist will provide you with specific post-operative instructions based on the type of treatment you received. Your oral health is dependent on how well you follow these directions. Some general tips for avoiding infection include:

Manage bleeding with gauze

You may experience some bleeding after a dental operation. Elevating your head and biting gently on damp gauze can help your body form a clot and speed the healing process.

Take all prescribed medications

Your dentist may prescribe antibiotics, painkillers, or another type of medication. It is important to take them exactly as prescribed and not stop prematurely.

Get plenty of rest

In general, patients should rest and avoid strenuous physical activity for a couple of days after surgery. 

Care for your sutures

Depending on the type of procedure you receive, you may have sutures placed and require a second trip to the dentist to remove them. Avoid chewing on your sutures or eating popcorn or foods with small seeds, as these can become lodged in the sutures.

Avoid smoking or the use of other tobacco products

Tobacco inhibits your body’s natural healing process and can cause a painful condition known as dry socket. Until the surgical area has completely healed, avoid smoking or using chewing tobacco. 

Maintain Your Oral Hygiene

Unless your dentist tells you otherwise, you should gently brush and floss following your surgery. In some cases, your dentist may recommend using a salt water rinse to dislodge any food particles and help your surgical site heal properly. 

Some swelling and minor bleeding is normal after a dental procedure. However, if these conditions persist, you should contact your dentist. 

Chips, cracks, fractures, or breaks can result in serious damage to your oral health. However, they may not need immediate dental care. Call your dentist’s office if you break a tooth and the staff can determine whether your symptoms require emergency care. Typically, they will try to get you into the office the same day.

In some cases, you may only notice a chip or crack because of a sharp edge on your tooth. In others, the fracture may expose or damage nerves, leading to dental sensitivity, discomfort, or pain. Different types of breaks require different 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. 

Trauma to the inside of the mouth is quite common. A fall or a blow to the face can cause your teeth to cut the surface of your lips, tongue, or cheeks. This type of injury can bleed heavily, due to the rich supply of blood in the area. However, the soft tissue usually heals quickly. 

The first step is to rinse out your mouth with salt water or hydrogen peroxide. In many cases, this will clear out the blood and allow you to determine the extent of the injury. If bleeding continues, apply pressure using a clean cloth for at least five minutes. Ice or a cold compress can limit swelling, bleeding and discomfort. 

You should seek medical care if:

• Pressure and cold compresses do not control the bleeding
• You have a clearly deep cut
• The cut crosses the border between the lip and facial skin
• The lip is punctured

If, after the first couple of days, you develop symptoms of an infection, such as redness, fever, pus, or swelling, contact your dentist right away as you may need an antibiotic.

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.