Dental emergencies happen at the worst possible times, which is usually a Friday evening. What you do in the first hour genuinely changes the outcome, particularly with a knocked out tooth, where the clock is the single biggest factor.
This is the short version for the common situations. Read the one you need, then call somebody.
Go to an emergency room, not a dentist, if
Some situations are beyond what a dental practice can safely handle, and delay is dangerous. Go to an emergency room or call emergency services if any of these apply.
- Swelling that is spreading towards your eye or down your neck
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or a swollen tongue or floor of the mouth
- Fever with facial swelling, especially if you feel unwell with it
- Bleeding that will not stop after twenty minutes of firm pressure
- A jaw injury, a suspected fracture, or a head injury alongside the dental damage
A knocked out adult tooth: the first thirty minutes decide it
Pick the tooth up by the crown, the chewing part, and never by the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline, or under cold water for no more than ten seconds. Do not scrub it, do not use soap, and do not dry it. The tissue on the root is what allows it to reattach.
If you can, put it straight back into the socket the right way round and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it. If you cannot, store it in milk. Saline works too, and holding it inside your own cheek is better than nothing. Plain water is the worst of the options because it damages the root cells.
Then get to a dentist immediately. Within thirty minutes gives the best chance, within an hour is still worth hurrying for. Do not put a baby tooth back, as it can damage the adult tooth developing underneath.
Toothache and swelling
A tooth that throbs, wakes you at night or reacts to heat is usually telling you the nerve is inflamed or infected. Painkillers you would normally take for a headache help temporarily. Never hold aspirin against the gum, which burns the tissue.
If there is swelling in the face or gum, that suggests infection, and it needs seeing quickly rather than waiting for Monday. Infections in the mouth can spread into spaces in the face and neck, which is when they become serious. A cold compress on the outside of the cheek helps with comfort in the meantime.
Broken teeth, lost fillings and lost crowns
For a chipped or broken tooth, save any pieces in milk and rinse your mouth with warm water. Cover a sharp edge with sugar free gum or dental wax from a pharmacy so it stops cutting your tongue. Avoid chewing on that side.
A lost crown is uncomfortable but rarely urgent. Keep the crown, clean it gently, and see your dentist within a few days. Temporary cement from a pharmacy can hold it for a day or two if the tooth underneath is sensitive. Do not use household glue, which is difficult to remove and can wreck the tooth.
Bleeding after an extraction
Some oozing for a few hours is normal. Roll clean gauze into a pad, place it over the socket and bite firmly for twenty minutes without checking it every two. Sit upright, avoid rinsing, spitting, straws and smoking for the first day, since all of them dislodge the clot.
If bleeding is still heavy after two rounds of firm pressure, or if severe pain arrives three to five days later, call the practice that did the extraction. Late pain often means the clot has been lost and the socket needs dressing, which is quick to treat once seen.
Finding somebody when your own dentist is closed
Call your own practice first even out of hours, because many have an answering message with emergency arrangements. If not, use the directory to find practices near you and start calling: emergency slots are usually held for the morning and given out early.
Say clearly what happened, how long ago, and whether there is swelling. Those three facts decide how urgently they fit you in.
Our directory lists every dental practice in the United States by town or ZIP code and puts the closest first, which is the quickest way to find somebody when your own practice is shut and you need to start phoning.
The short version
- Spreading swelling, breathing or swallowing trouble, or uncontrolled bleeding means the emergency room.
- A knocked out adult tooth goes back in the socket or into milk, held by the crown, immediately.
- Never store a knocked out tooth in plain water and never scrub the root.
- Facial swelling with a toothache is an infection and needs same day attention.
- After an extraction, twenty minutes of unbroken firm pressure beats repeated checking.
Looking for a dentist?
Our directory lists every dental practice in the United States, from the public federal registry. Search by town or ZIP code, or let your browser find the closest ones.
Frequently asked
How long can a knocked out tooth survive outside the mouth?
The best chance is within thirty minutes, and the odds fall steadily after that. Stored in milk it can stay viable for a few hours, which is why the storage medium matters so much. Get to a dentist as fast as you reasonably can.
Should I take antibiotics I have at home for a toothache?
No. Leftover antibiotics are usually the wrong drug, the wrong dose or an incomplete course, and they can mask an infection that still needs draining or the tooth treating. A dentist decides whether antibiotics are needed at all, and often the treatment itself is what resolves it.
Is it an emergency if there is no pain?
Sometimes. A knocked out or badly loosened tooth is urgent whether or not it hurts. So is trauma in a child. A lost crown or a small chip with no pain can usually wait a few days for a normal appointment.
This is general information to help you ask better questions, not a diagnosis. Anything happening in your own mouth needs a dentist who can look at it.