Dental Emergencies

Patients who experience a dental emergency may call our office any time during our regular hours at (423)764-7100.

If the patient has experienced serious injury or is unconscious, call 911 immediately. If the patient is experiencing bleeding that doesn't stop, go to a hospital emergency room immediately.

Quick action can mean the difference between loosing or keeping an injured tooth.

Knocked Out Tooth

A knocked out tooth is a dental emergency. Hold the tooth by the crown and rise off the root of the tooth in water if it is dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket. If that is not possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk. Call your dentist immediately, or after hours, go to the emergency room.

Broken Tooth

If you break a tooth, rinse your mouth out with warm water to cleanse the area and use cold compresses on the area to keep any swelling down. Contact your dentist as soon as possible.

Cracked Tooth

Symptoms of a cracked tooth include pain when biting down or experienced when eating certain sweet, sour, or sticky foods. Having a cracked tooth may or may not be dental emergency, but if you have experienced the symptoms of a cracked tooth, please tell your dentist.

Toothache

A toothache may be a sign of something serious, such as an abscess. First, trying rinsing out your mouth with warm water and carefully floss around the aching tooth. Sometimes food or some other object lodged between your teeth can cause discomfort or pain. If the pain persists, please contact your dentist as soon as possible. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers may be used to dull the ache.

Objects Caught Between Teeth

If food or some other object becomes lodged between your teeth, try using dental floss to remove it, being careful not to cut your gums. If you are not successful in removing the object, contact your dentist. Never use a sharp instrument (such as a knife) to remove objects stuck between your teeth.

Resources

Toothache: First Aid (Courtesy Mayo Clinic)
Do You Have a Cracked Tooth? (Courtesy Colgate)
Broken or Knocked Out Teech (Courtesy Medline Plus)
Handling Dental Emergencies (Courtesy WebMD)