Dental Emergencies
Accidents can happen, including dental accidents, and they shouldn’t be ignored. Knowing what to do when an accident happens, and getting dental care as quickly as possible, can make the difference in saving or losing a tooth.
CRITICAL– Go to Emergency Room
- Severe swelling
- High fever
- Difficulty breathing
- Deep cuts on lips
- Reaction to medication resulting in hives, swelling of mouth lips or throat
URGENT– Call Us Immediately (24/7)
- Broken tooth /teeth
- Toothache preventing sleep
- Minor to moderate swelling
- Moderate to severe pain
- Tooth knocked out
- Tooth misplaced or knocked out of position
- Deep cuts on gums
- Jaw locked open
- Severe TMJ pain
NON-URGENT– Call Us as Soon as Possible
- Missing filling
- Cracked or broken crown
- Lost, loose or broken temporary crown
- Debris trapped between teeth or gums
- Broken denture/partial denture
- Loose orthodontic band, bracket, expander, lip bumper or uncomfortable wire
Dental Emergency Tips
The following are some tips on how to handle a dental emergency until you get to our Plano office:
Tooth knocked out – Call us immediately! Locate the tooth and pick it up by the top, not touching the roots. If dirty, rinse it with water, don’t remove any fragments of tissue, and do not scrub it. Insert it in the socket if possible and hold it there. If it can’t be inserted in the socket, put it in some milk and get to the dentist. If milk isn’t available, a saline solution like the kind used for contact lenses will work.
Broken tooth – Call us immediately! Rinse your mouth with warm water. Take ibuprofen, not aspirin, for pain. Use a cold compress for swelling. If you feel your jaw may be broken, go to a hospital emergency room immediately.
Object stuck between teeth – Try to dislodge the object with floss or an interdental brush. Call us if you can’t dislodge the object.
Soft tissue injury (lips, cheeks, gums) – Rinse with salt water, then apply pressure with soft gauze for 15 to 20 minutes on the site of bleeding. Use a cold compress on the outside for 5 to 10 minutes. If bleeding doesn’t stop, go to a hospital emergency room.
Partially dislodged tooth – Try to gently push it back into position with you finger, bite down to hold it in place, and call us.
Toothache – Brush your teeth, rinse with warm water, and floss or use an interdental brush. Call us if the pain doesn’t stop.