Do You Need Emergency Dental Care?

Some common types of mouth injuries include cracked, broken, or knocked out teeth, which can be a result of chewing or biting hard textured food, a sports-related injury, a fall, or any other type of accident. Depending on the severity of the injury and where the tooth is located, it is possible that a chipped tooth or minor fracture can wait for a call to the dentist during working hours.

However, if the crack is severe, there is a large piece of the tooth missing, or if the tooth has a nerve damage or is knocked out completely, you should seek immediate medical attention. Learn more about how to handle a cracked tooth in the Colgate Oral Care resources.

While you are waiting to know if the tooth is knocked out, try to handle it as little as possible according to the Indian Dental Association. See if you can put the tooth back in the socket, biting down on moistened gauze or a wet tea bag can help. Be very careful not to swallow the tooth.

If you can't get the tooth to stay in the socket by the time you see the dentist or reach an emergency dentist, rinse it off to get rid of any visible dirt and keep it in a container of milk or your saliva until a professional can see you. You can apply a cold, wet compress to help with any bleeding coming from the tooth socket.

Sometimes the problem won't be as clear-cut as a knocked out or broken tooth; for instance, you may find yourself dealing with severe tooth pain, from an abscess tooth. If you think you need emergency dental care, call your dentist's office first. The office may be able to get you in for an appointment quickly, as dentists often keep anticipated slots for such emergency cases.

Even if you know the office is closed, go ahead and call. There may be an emergency number or other ways to reach out to the options. If none of these options work, head to the nearest accident and trauma care place like an emergency hospital or clinic nearby. The staff there can help determine whether the injury can wait for your dentist and can possibly provide pain medication to help alleviate symptoms in the meantime.