What counts as a dental emergency
If it hurts, bleeds, or broke, it counts. The problems we see most:
- Toothache — from dull throb to keep-you-up-all-night pain
- Broken, chipped, or cracked teeth
- Lost fillings and crowns
- A tooth knocked loose or knocked out
- Swelling or an abscess — a pimple-like bump on the gums, a bad taste, or a swollen jaw
- Pain after a filling or extraction that isn’t settling down
None of these get better on their own. Dental infections in particular tend to escalate, and the earlier we see you, the more options (and the smaller the bill) you tend to have.
While you’re waiting to be seen
- Rinse gently with warm salt water.
- A cold compress on the outside of the cheek helps swelling and pain — 15 minutes on, 15 off.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers help if you use them as the label directs. Don’t put aspirin on the gum itself — it burns the tissue.
- Save any pieces of a broken tooth or crown and bring them with you.
When to skip us and go to the ER
We can handle teeth; hospitals handle everything else. Go to the emergency room for facial swelling that affects your eye, breathing, or swallowing; dental pain with a fever; a possible jaw fracture; or bleeding that won’t stop with pressure. Get stabilized first — then call us and we’ll handle the tooth.