Dental Emergencies: What to Do Before You Reach Us

Dental emergencies rarely happen at a convenient time: a cricket ball in the face, a fall on a wet Pune road in the monsoon, a toothache that flares up late at night. What you do in the first few minutes can make a real difference, especially for a knocked-out tooth. Keep this guide handy, and save our number in your phone.

A knocked-out adult tooth

This is the most time-sensitive dental emergency. The International Association of Dental Traumatology advises that the best chance of saving the tooth is within the first 20 minutes (IADT). The NHS says it should be treated as soon as possible, ideally within 30 minutes to an hour (NHS).

1. 1

   Find the tooth

   Pick it up by the crown (the white part you chew with). Do not touch the root.

2. 2

   Rinse briefly if dirty

   A quick rinse in water. Do not scrub it, use soap, or wrap it in tissue.

3. 3

   Put it back if you can

   Push it gently back into its socket, the right way round, even if the gum is bleeding. Bite gently on a folded handkerchief or gauze to hold it in place.

4. 4

   If it will not go back, keep it moist

   Put it in a small container of milk, or in saliva (spit into a cup), or hold it inside the cheek if the person is old enough not to swallow it. Do not let it dry out.

5. 5

   Get to a dentist immediately

   Call ahead so the clinic is ready for you.

These steps follow the IADT's advice for patients (IADT) and the American Dental Association (ADA). The IADT's guidelines for dentists stress that prompt and correct emergency care is essential for the best outcome (Fouad et al., 2020).

A chipped, broken or cracked tooth

A chip or break is usually not serious, but it does need a dentist (NHS):

• Find any broken piece and keep it in milk, saliva or water; do not let it dry out. Your dentist may be able to bond it back on.
• Rinse your mouth with warm water and hold a cold compress against your cheek to limit swelling (ADA).
• If the break is large, the tooth is very painful, or you can see pink or red in the middle of the tooth, the nerve may be exposed: be seen the same day if you can.
• Treatment may be bonding the piece back, a filling, a crown, or root canal treatment for a badly broken tooth with an exposed nerve.

Toothache

Toothache can come from decay, a cracked tooth, a lost filling, a wisdom tooth, gum disease, grinding or an abscess. While you wait to be seen, the NHS suggests (NHS):

• paracetamol or ibuprofen, as directed on the pack, if they are safe for you (children under 16 should not take aspirin);
• rinsing with warm salt water: half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, rinse and spit (not for young children);
• soft food, chewing on the other side, and avoiding very hot, cold or sweet food;
• not putting aspirin or other tablets on the tooth or gum.

See a dentist if toothache lasts more than two days, does not settle with painkillers, or comes with a high temperature, pain on biting, red gums, a bad taste or a swollen cheek or jaw. Our guide Do I need a root canal? explains the warning signs of an infected tooth.

A swollen face or gum (possible abscess)

Swelling with pain often means a dental abscess, a build-up of pus from an infection. It needs urgent dental treatment and will not go away on its own (NHS). Call the clinic the same day. Painkillers and soft food help in the meantime, but do not take more than the recommended dose of any painkiller. If the swelling spreads towards the eye or neck, or affects breathing or swallowing, go to hospital.

Other common problems

Reaching Vinaykia Dental Care

Our clinic is at Shop No. 7, Amar Centre, 15 August Chowk, opposite Sujata Mastani, Somwar Peth, Pune. We are open Mon–Sat · 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM & 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM. Call +91 91408 92818 and tell us what happened; we will try to see you the same day and guide you on what to do until you arrive. Allow for traffic on the way, especially for a knocked-out tooth, and call ahead so we are ready. Outside clinic hours, for severe swelling, uncontrolled bleeding or a head injury, go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

This article is general information, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. What suits you depends on an examination at the clinic, and every treatment plan and cost is explained before treatment begins.

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