Emergency Information

If you experience a dental emergency, be sure to call our practice as soon as possible . If you need immediate attention after hours, call our emergency phone number and our on-call staff member will help you. If you are unable to reach our office during an emergency, dial 911.

We are here to help you, any time, any day. When your dental health is at risk, we will do everything we can to make sure that you're treated as soon as possible. While dental emergencies are rare, they can happen, and it's important to know how to take care of your teeth no matter what. Common dental emergencies include:

Toothache: Rinse the entire mouth with warm salt water. Do not place aspirin on the aching tooth or gum tissues. Aspirin is an acid and can burn your tissues. You may take tylenol or advil for pain, if you are not allergic to it and see your dentist as soon as possible. 

Lost Filling: If you are not in pain, simply keep the area clean and see your dentist as soon as possible. However if it hurts, take clean tweezers, grab a cotton pellet, dip it in clove oil, place it in the tooth and leave it there until you can see your dentist.

Lost Crown: Buy temporary cement or a denture adhesive from a pharmacy, clean the inside of the crown, place some of the temporary cement/denture adhesive on the inside and put the crown back in place, making sure your bite has not changed. See your dentist as soon as possible.

Knocked out tooth: If it is a baby tooth, do not worry about it. Do NOT insert a baby tooth back in the mouth! However, if it is a permanent tooth, follow these directions and go IMMEDIATELY to your dentist. It is likely the tooth can be saved IF you get to the dentist WITHIN 30 MINUTES of loosing it. If the tooth is dirty, rinse it gently in running water. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments, as this could damage it. Gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket. If this is not possible, place the tooth in the mouth, between the cheek and the gum, to keep it moist. If that's not possible, submerge the tooth in a cup of milk. Head to the dentist IMMEDIATELY and don't forget to bring the tooth!

Broken tooth: Gently clean dirt from the injured area wth warm water. If you can find the fragment easily, bring it wih you to the office.Place cold compresses on the face, in the area of the injured tooth, to decrease swelling. 

Bitten tongue or lip: Apply direct pressure to the bleeding area with a clean cloth. If swelling is present, apply cold compresses. If the bleeding does not stop, go to a hospital emergency room. And remember, it usually looks worse than it is!

Objects caught between teeth: Rinse the mouth with warm salt water. Use dental floss and/or a toothpick carefully to remove any food that might be trapped between the teeth. If you are not successful in removing the object, go to your dentist. Do not try to remove the object with a sharp or pointed instrument.

Possible broken jaw: Do not move the jaw in place, you may cause more harm. Go immediately to a hospital emergency room or visit your oral surgeon.