You’re biting into what you thought was a boneless chicken wing. Your child takes a spill on the playground. You wake up at 2 AM with a throbbing toothache that feels like it’s taking over your whole head. Panic sets in. What do you do? Do you go to the ER? Call your dentist at 3 in the morning? Wait it out and hope for the best? Let’s talk through the most common dental emergencies and exactly what to do when they happen. Because when you’re in pain or staring at a chipped tooth, you don’t want to be guessing.
Knocked-Out Tooth: A Race Against Time
A tooth gets completely knocked out. That’s the big one. And time is not on your side. If you can get to a dentist within 30 minutes to an hour, there’s a real chance that tooth can be saved. Here’s what to do:
- Pick it up by the crown, that’s the white chewing part. Don’t touch the root. That’s the sensitive part with tiny fibers that need to stay intact.
- Rinse it gently. If it’s dirty, rinse it with milk or saline solution. Water works in a pinch, but milk is better. And don’t scrub it. Just a gentle rinse.
- Try to put it back. If you’re brave and it’s clean, gently push it back into the socket. Bite down on a clean cloth to hold it in place. If that feels too awful, put the tooth in a cup of milk or tuck it inside your cheek next to your gums. Just don’t let it dry out.
- Then call us. Immediately. We’ll get you in as fast as we can.
Chipped or Fractured Tooth
A chipped tooth doesn’t always mean a dental emergency. If it’s tiny and doesn’t hurt, you can probably wait a day or two. But if the chip is deep, if it hurts when you bite down, or if you feel a sharp edge cutting your tongue, that’s a different story.
Rinse your mouth with warm water. If there’s any bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a piece of gauze or a clean cloth. A cold pack on the outside of your cheek can help with swelling.
Sometimes a tooth looks perfectly fine from the outside but has a hidden fracture underneath. That’s why we always take an X-ray. What looks like a small chip on the surface might actually extend down into the root.
Severe Toothache
Tooth pain has a way of getting your full attention. And it usually means something’s wrong. Start by rinsing your mouth with warm salt water. Floss gently around the sore tooth in case something’s stuck between your teeth. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever if you need to.
But if the pain is severe, if it’s keeping you up at night, or if you have swelling in your face or jaw, that’s not something to brush off. It could be an infection, and infections don’t get better on their own.
Call us. Even if it’s after hours, our answering service can connect you with Dr. Gessell or Dr. Gauthier. We can tell you whether to come in, head to urgent care, or manage it at home until your next appointment.
Lost Filling or Crown: It’s Not Pretty, But It’s Not an Emergency
This one’s more of a “call during business hours” situation. Losing a filling or crown isn’t fun, but it’s rarely an emergency.
Keep the crown if you can. If your tooth feels sharp or sensitive, you can buy temporary dental cement from a drugstore to cover it. And avoid chewing on that side until we can see you.
When to Go to the ER
Most dental issues are best handled by a dentist, not an ER. But if you have severe swelling that’s affecting your breathing or swallowing, or if you’ve had a major injury to your jaw or face, head to the emergency room first. They’ll stabilize you, and then we’ll take over.
We’re Here When You Need Us
Dental emergencies are never convenient. They always happen on a busy day or right before a vacation. That’s just how it works.
But you don’t have to face them alone. Our team at Southern Pines Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is here for you. Call us. We’ll figure it out together.