Dental emergencies

What counts as a dental emergency, what to do right now, and how to reach us after hours.

Call us if you have

• Severe toothache that keeps you awake or does not respond to ibuprofen
• Swelling of the face, jaw or gums
• A knocked-out permanent tooth
• A broken tooth with sharp edges or exposed nerve
• Bleeding that does not stop after 20 minutes of pressure
• A lost crown or filling with pain

During office hours we hold same-day emergency slots every morning and will see you today. After hours, call the main number; the recording gives the on-call dentist's line. The on-call dentist will call you back within 30 minutes.

Go to the emergency room instead if

• Swelling is spreading to your eye or neck, or you have trouble swallowing or breathing
• You have a jaw that may be broken
• Bleeding is heavy and will not stop

What to do while you wait

Knocked-out tooth

Hold it by the crown, not the root. Rinse gently with milk or saline, do not scrub. Put it back in the socket if you can, or keep it in milk. Get to us within 60 minutes; the tooth can often be saved.

Toothache

Rinse with warm salt water. Take ibuprofen 400 mg and acetaminophen 500 mg together every six hours if you can take both. Do not put aspirin on the gum. Avoid very hot or cold food.

Lost crown

Keep the crown. You can temporarily reseat it with over-the-counter dental cement or a dab of toothpaste. Do not use super glue.

Broken tooth

Rinse, save any pieces, and cover sharp edges with sugar-free gum or dental wax.

Emergency fees

Emergency exam and X-ray: $110. After-hours visit: $250 fee plus treatment. Treatment is usually a temporary fix (pain relief, temporary filling, antibiotic prescription) with definitive work scheduled later.