Severe tooth pain, a broken tooth or sudden swelling can make eating, speaking and sleeping difficult. A lost crown or dental injury may also need prompt assessment, even when the cause is not obvious. You do not need to identify the treatment yourself before contacting a dental team.

Oakline Emergency Dental provides emergency dental care for urgent tooth and gum concerns. Describe the symptoms, when they began and whether an injury occurred so we can advise on the appropriate next step. Call (512) 555-0108 to request an emergency dental appointment.

What Is a Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency is generally a problem that requires prompt evaluation because of significant pain, injury, infection, bleeding, or risk of further damage. You may need urgent dental care for:

Some situations require more than emergency dental care. Difficulty breathing or swallowing, severe facial swelling, significant facial trauma, or uncontrolled bleeding can require immediate medical attention.

Severe Toothache

A toothache can begin as occasional sensitivity and progress to pain that makes it difficult to eat, sleep, or concentrate. Possible causes of dental pain include:

Pain intensity alone does not reveal exactly what is wrong. A tooth that throbs constantly may require different treatment from one that only hurts when you bite. An examination helps determine where the pain is coming from and what should happen next.

Swollen Gums or Face

Swelling around a tooth or gum can occur when inflammation or infection develops. You may notice:

Dental swelling should not be ignored simply because the tooth itself does not hurt. If swelling is spreading rapidly or is accompanied by fever, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, or significant facial or neck swelling, seek urgent medical care.

Dental Abscess

A dental abscess is a collection of pus associated with a bacterial infection. Symptoms can include:

An abscess requires dental assessment because treating the symptoms alone does not remove the source of the infection. Depending on where the infection originates and the condition of the tooth, treatment may involve drainage, root canal treatment, extraction, or another appropriate approach.

Persistent or increasing dental pain is a reason to have the tooth examined rather than continuing to wait for it to settle. Call Oakline Emergency Dental at (512) 555-0108 for an emergency dental appointment.

Broken or Cracked Tooth

A tooth can break while eating, after an injury, because of existing decay, or when a weakened area gives way. A damaged tooth may cause:

The absence of severe pain does not necessarily mean the damage is minor. A crack can affect different layers of the tooth, and the appropriate treatment depends on how far the damage extends. Until the tooth is assessed, avoid chewing hard foods on that side of the mouth.

Knocked Out Tooth

A knocked out permanent tooth is time sensitive. If a permanent tooth has been completely knocked out:

In some situations, a knocked out permanent tooth may be placed back into its socket if this can be done easily and correctly. Otherwise, keeping it moist while seeking care is important. A knocked out baby tooth should not be replanted, because doing so can damage the developing permanent tooth underneath.

Chipped Tooth

A small chip may not feel like an emergency, particularly when there is no pain. However, a chipped tooth should still be evaluated if:

Treatment depends on how much tooth structure has been lost and whether the inner portions of the tooth are affected. Our dentist can examine the damaged area and explain the available treatment options.

Lost Filling

A filling can become loose or fall out because of wear, damage, decay around the restoration, or changes in the tooth. When this happens, the tooth may become:

Avoid chewing hard or sticky foods on the affected tooth until it has been assessed. A lost filling does not necessarily mean the tooth simply needs another filling. The remaining tooth structure needs to be checked before the appropriate restoration is selected.

Lost or Broken Dental Crown

If a dental crown becomes loose or comes off, the tooth underneath may feel unusually sensitive. Keep the crown if you still have it and bring it to your dental appointment.

Do not use household glue or another non dental adhesive to attach it yourself. Our dentist needs to determine why the crown came off and whether:

If the exposed tooth is painful, avoid chewing on it until you receive dental care. Tell us when the crown came loose and whether the tooth is sensitive or painful.

Tooth Injury After a Fall or Accident

A tooth does not have to fall out for a dental injury to require attention. After an impact, a tooth may become:

Sometimes damage occurs below the visible surface. If a permanent tooth feels loose or appears to have shifted position after an injury, avoid repeatedly moving it with your tongue or fingers. Dental trauma should be assessed to determine whether the tooth, root, supporting tissues, or surrounding structures have been affected.

Bleeding From the Mouth

Minor gum bleeding after brushing is different from persistent bleeding following an injury, extraction, or other dental problem. If bleeding occurs:

Heavy or uncontrolled bleeding may require immediate medical attention rather than waiting for a routine dental appointment. Tell the care team how the bleeding started and whether it is accompanied by another injury.

Something Stuck Between Your Teeth

Food and other material can sometimes become lodged tightly between teeth and cause significant discomfort. You can try gently using dental floss to remove accessible material. Avoid using:

If the object cannot be removed safely or pain continues after it has been removed, schedule a dental evaluation. Tell us where the discomfort is and what attempts have already been made to remove the object.

What to Do Before an Emergency Dental Visit

The right response depends on the problem, but a few steps can help protect the affected area before your appointment. You can:

Do not place aspirin directly against a painful tooth or gum. Aspirin can irritate or damage oral tissues. Tell Oakline Emergency Dental what happened and what symptoms you are experiencing so the problem can be appropriately assessed.

Call (512) 555-0108 for emergency dental care. The American Dental Association's dental-emergency guidance provides advice for injuries such as a cracked or knocked out tooth while you arrange care.

When Tooth Pain May Need a Root Canal

Severe tooth pain does not automatically mean you need root canal treatment. However, root canal treatment may be considered when the pulp inside a tooth becomes significantly inflamed or infected and the tooth can be appropriately preserved. Possible symptoms can include:

These symptoms can have other causes. An examination and appropriate diagnostic testing are needed before determining whether root canal treatment is necessary.

When an Emergency Tooth May Need Extraction

Saving a natural tooth is often desirable when appropriate treatment can predictably restore it. However, some teeth may be too extensively damaged or compromised to restore. Extraction may be considered when there is:

The presence of pain alone does not determine whether a tooth should be removed. The tooth needs to be evaluated first.

When to Seek Medical Care Instead of Waiting for a Dentist

Certain symptoms can extend beyond what should be managed through a routine dental appointment. Seek urgent medical attention when dental or facial symptoms involve:

Dental care may still be needed afterward, but immediate medical safety comes first. Let the treating team know about the dental injury or symptoms so follow up care can be coordinated.

Emergency Dentist FAQs

Is a Severe Toothache a Dental Emergency?

Severe or worsening tooth pain can require urgent dental assessment, particularly when it disrupts daily activities or occurs with swelling. Severe, persistent, or rapidly worsening tooth pain should be evaluated, particularly when it interferes with normal activities or occurs with swelling or other symptoms. Tell us when it started and whether the pain is constant, triggered by biting or accompanied by swelling.

Our team can use that information when advising on the next step. Symptoms involving difficulty breathing or swallowing require immediate medical attention rather than waiting for a dental appointment.

What Should I Do If My Tooth Is Knocked Out?

Handle a permanent tooth by the crown, avoid scrubbing the root, keep it moist, and seek dental care as quickly as possible. Do not attempt to replant a knocked out baby tooth.

Can a Broken Tooth Be Saved?

Many damaged teeth can be restored, but it depends on the location and extent of the fracture, the remaining tooth structure, and whether the root or inner tooth is affected. A dental examination is needed before choosing a restoration or deciding that removal is necessary.

Tell us when the tooth broke, whether it hurts and whether the damage followed an injury. Our dentist can explain the findings and suitable treatment options after examining the area.

Is Facial Swelling From a Tooth Dangerous?

Swelling associated with a dental problem can be serious and needs prompt assessment. Rapidly increasing swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing, fever, or significant facial or neck swelling requires urgent attention.

Do I Need Emergency Care for a Lost Filling?

A lost filling may require prompt dental care if the tooth is painful, significantly damaged, or highly sensitive. Even without severe pain, the tooth should be evaluated before further damage occurs.

What Should I Do If My Crown Falls Off?

Keep the crown, avoid chewing on the exposed tooth, and arrange a dental appointment. Do not use household glue to reattach it.

Does a Toothache Always Mean I Need a Root Canal?

A toothache does not always require root canal treatment. Tooth pain has several possible causes, so our dentist needs to diagnose the problem before recommending the appropriate treatment.

Can I Wait If My Toothache Suddenly Stops?

The disappearance of pain does not necessarily mean the underlying problem has resolved. If you had significant or persistent tooth pain, the tooth should still be evaluated.

Get Help with an Urgent Dental Problem

When a tooth is badly damaged, pain is increasing, or swelling appears unexpectedly, you do not need to determine the diagnosis yourself before contacting us. Our emergency dental team provides emergency dental care for toothaches, broken and cracked teeth, dental abscesses, knocked out teeth, lost restorations, and other urgent dental concerns.

Need an emergency dentist? Call (512) 555-0108.