Dental Emergencies: What to Do for Injuries and Extreme Pain

Here are the best ways to help when you have extreme harm or discomfort around your teeth and gums.

By Steven Barefoot, DDS

If you have an oral-health injury or pain that is not life-threatening, call your dentist right away. They can determine if you need care now or if it’s safe to wait until the dental office is open.

The dentist can help with these problems, so you don't need to go to the emergency room for:

a broken tooth.
a lost tooth.
pain from a cavity, wisdom tooth, or a filling or other dental repair that falls out.

If you have a hard time breathing or swallowing, the American Dental Association (ADA) advises that you go to the hospital. Also seek immediate help if your face swells after a toothache. The Cleveland Clinic recommends emergency care for any of these problems:

bleeding that won’t stop.
pain that doesn’t get better with medicine.
broken bones in your face (such as your jaw).

Relief During Dental Emergencies

If you have a knocked-out tooth, cracked tooth or extreme toothache, there are ways to feel better before your dentist appointment. The ADA offers these tips:

Knocked-Out Tooth

Rinse the tooth with clean water and keep it moist.
If possible, place the tooth in its socket without touching the root. If you can’t do that, hold the tooth between your cheek and gums, put it in a glass of milk, or use an ADA-approved Save-A-Tooth container.
See a dentist right away.

Cracked Tooth

Immediately rinse out your mouth with warm water to clean the area.
Put cold compresses on your face to help keep swelling down.
See your dentist as soon as possible.

Toothache

Rinse out your mouth with warm water.
Gently use dental floss to remove any food stuck between your teeth.
Do not put aspirin on your aching tooth or gums, because it can burn the gum tissue.
If the pain does not go away, contact your dentist.

Avoid Dental Emergencies

Seeing your dentist every six months helps you avoid painful emergencies. There are a few good things about regular oral health visits, such as:

You get to know the dentist.
The dentist gets to know you.
You can avoid a decline in oral health that can result a painful, time-consuming visit to an emergency room!

So, call your dentist right away when you need urgent help with oral care. And if you’re not in pain, why not call your dentist now for a regular exam? It can help you prevent a dental emergency.

DentaQuest, part of Sun Life U.S., manages dental benefits for tens of millions of Americans. Our mission is to improve the oral health of all. Members can click here to find a dentist.

Steven Barefoot, DDS

Associate Director of Clinical Value-Based Care

With 30-plus years in dental practice, Dr. Barefoot, associate director of clinical value-based care at DentaQuest, provides clinical input to develop new care programs; manages the design of quality measures; and responds to providers participating in value-based programs. Medical research at Methodist Hospital of Indiana and business development, analysis, and analytics in a range of areas complement Dr. Barefoot’s clinical career.