Emergency Dental Care

A knocked-out permanent tooth requires quick thinking and immediate action. Pick it up without touching the root, gently clean it off with water, and put it back in its socket facing the correct way. Hold it in place with gentle pressure as you rush to the dental office or emergency room. If you can’t replant it immediately, tuck it between the patient’s cheek and gum, or carry it in a container of cold milk.

Acute or persistent tooth pain always signals a need for an urgent visit to the dental office. The most common cause of dental pain is tooth decay, a bacterial infection that can spread through many parts of the tooth and even into the gum tissue. Other times, pain may be caused by a loose filling or sensitive tooth. The only way to know for sure what’s causing your tooth pain is to make an appointment at the dental office right away.

A periodontal (gum) abscess is a pus-filled sac caused by an infection and is usually quite painful. Abscesses require immediate attention at the dental office. If not treated immediately, periodontal abscesses can cause serious damage to the gums or teeth.

Traumatic dental injuries occur when a sudden, traumatic accident causes damage to the teeth, jaw, or gums. These accidents can occur during sports events, car accidents, or any other manner of high-contact incidents. Examples of traumatic dental injuries include knocked out or broken teeth, extremely loose teeth, or chipped teeth.

Remain calm, chipped teeth are the most common traumatic dental injury. If a tooth is chipped, try to find any pieces that have come off, as it might be possible to reattach them. Make an appointment for an office visit as soon as possible, and bring the pieces with you.

Injuries and infections involving the soft tissues of the mouth may also require emergency treatment. The tissues of the gums, tongue, or cheek lining can be damaged by accidental bites, falls, sports injuries, and scalding liquids. They may also suffer injury from foreign bodies that become lodged below the gum line, and they can develop painful and potentially serious abscesses.