What To Do in a Dental Emergency

Dental emergencies rarely happen at convenient times. Knowing what to do in the first 30 minutes can be the difference between saving and losing a tooth.

Knocked-out tooth

Handle the tooth by the crown — never the root. If it's dirty, rinse gently with milk or saline. If you can, place it back in the socket and bite gently on gauze; otherwise keep it in milk and call us immediately. Re-implantation works best within an hour.

Severe toothache or swelling

Rinse with warm salt water and use a cold compress on the outside of your cheek. Never place aspirin against the gum — it burns tissue. Swelling that spreads toward the eye or throat needs immediate attention: call us or go to the ER.