Dental emergencies happen — and when they do, what you do in the first few minutes really matters. Here's what to do before you give us a call. (And please give us a call. That's what we're here for.)
Knocked-out tooth
This one's time-sensitive. Keep the tooth moist at all times — that's the single most important thing.
Hold the tooth by the crown (the part you normally see), not by the root. If it's dirty, rinse the root gently with water. Don't scrub it, and don't pick off any tissue that's still attached.
If you can, slip the tooth gently back into its socket and hold it there. If you can't, store it in one of these, in order of what's best:
- An emergency tooth preservation kit (if you have one)
- A cup of milk
- In your mouth, tucked next to your cheek
- Water with a pinch of salt, if nothing else is available
Then call us immediately — the sooner we see you, the better the chance of saving the tooth. More on our emergency care.
Something stuck between teeth
First try: dental floss, gently. Work it in and out carefully — no sawing. If the object comes out, you're done.
If it doesn't come out, don't reach for a toothpick, pin, or anything sharp. You can damage your gums or push the object in deeper. Just give us a call and we'll take care of it.
Toothache
Rinse your mouth with warm water first, then floss gently around the sore tooth to make sure there's nothing caught in there. Sometimes that's all it is.
Don't put aspirin directly on the tooth or gums — it can burn the tissue. If you need pain relief, take it the normal way. And then call us as soon as you can. A toothache that doesn't go away is your mouth telling you something, and the sooner we look, the easier the fix tends to be.
When you're not sure, call. We'd much rather hear from you for something that turns out to be nothing than miss something that needed attention.