Dental Emergency

A toothache may arise from food stuck in the gums that’s causing irritation, cavities or an infection. Some signs that you may have a toothache are throbbing or jabbing pain, tooth sensitivity, swelling in your gums, bad breath and headaches. You can try to rinse your mouth with warm salt water, followed by flossing to remove any lodged food particles. Use an ice pack or cold compress to reduce any swelling and take over-the-counter pain medication as needed. If the pain doesn’t go away, call us to be seen as soon as possible.

You may experience a cracked or chipped tooth from eating hard food/candy, dental trauma or even from grinding your teeth (known as bruxism). Sometimes the crack is small enough that you can hardly tell, but other times, it can be badly damaged and pieces break off. If that happens, we suggest you first rinse your mouth and stop any bleeding by applying a piece of gauze until it stops. Call our office to come in for an appointment.

A knocked out tooth is a very serious situation and calls for immediate medical attention. If that happens to you or your child, rinse the tooth and place the tooth back in its socket by holding onto the crown. It is important that you do not disturb the root of the tooth, as that can impact whether it is able to be saved or not. Call our office to be seen right away.

In certain cases, a dental restoration such as a filling or crown may fall out depending on how long you’ve had it and the extent of your oral health care routine. If your crown breaks or a filling is dislodged, call our office to make an appointment.

A broken jaw can be a scary situation, and it is important to remain calm. We recommend that you apply a cold compress to the outside of your face and head to your local emergency room or urgent care facility immediately.