Dental Emergencies: What to Do Before You Reach the Dentist

In a dental emergency, the first steps are to stay calm, control any bleeding and contact a dentist as soon as possible. For a knocked-out adult tooth, the first 30 to 60 minutes are critical to the chances of saving it.

The advice below covers what you can do until you are seen; it is not a substitute for professional treatment.

When to go straight to A&E

Some situations need hospital emergency care rather than waiting for a dental appointment. Seek urgent medical help if you have:

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Rapidly spreading swelling towards the eye, neck or floor of the mouth
• A high temperature and feeling generally very unwell
• Bleeding that does not stop after 10 to 15 minutes of firm pressure
• A significant facial injury, especially with loss of consciousness, dizziness or a suspected broken jaw

Knocked-out tooth: steps to save it

If a permanent adult tooth is knocked out completely, acting quickly gives it the best chance of survival. Baby teeth should not be put back in; if your child loses one through injury, contact a dentist for advice.

• Hold the tooth by the crown, the white part you normally see, never by the root
• If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline; do not scrub it or use soap
• If you can, push it gently back into its socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it in place
• If that is not possible, keep it in milk or inside your cheek; avoid plain water or a dry tissue
• See a dentist immediately

Broken or chipped tooth

Rinse your mouth with warm water. If you find the broken piece, keep it in milk or water, as it can sometimes be bonded back on. For swelling, hold a cold compress wrapped in a cloth against the outside of your cheek.

A small chip may not be urgent, but sharp edges can cut your tongue or cheek and the tooth may become sensitive. If the break is large, or you see bleeding or a pink or red spot in the tooth, the nerve may be exposed and you should be seen the same day. Small chips can often be repaired with bonding, while larger fractures may need root canal treatment and a crown.

Severe toothache

Rinse with warm water and gently use floss to check that nothing is trapped between your teeth. You can take an over-the-counter painkiller, following the leaflet and taking your own health into account.

Never place a painkiller directly on the gum or tooth, as it can burn the tissue, and avoid applying heat. Throbbing pain, pain that keeps you awake or pain that worsens with heat often means the nerve is inflamed, and you should see a dentist as soon as possible.

Swelling of the face or gums

Swelling of the gum or face is often a sign of infection, such as a dental abscess, and should always be taken seriously. Until you are seen, you can use a cold compress on the outside of the face and rinse with warm salt water. Do not try to burst an abscess yourself.

Antibiotics should only be taken when prescribed, and on their own they do not solve the problem; the source of the infection must be treated. If swelling is spreading quickly, reaching the eye or neck, or you have a fever, go to A&E.

Can dental emergencies be prevented?

Not every accident can be avoided, but wearing a mouthguard for contact sports, not using your teeth to crack ice, pens or bottle tops, and having decay treated early at regular check-ups all greatly reduce the risk.

For an urgent dental problem or follow-up treatment afterwards, you can contact Dr. Merve Hakan to book an examination.