Dental Emergencies

There’s nothing worse than unexpected dental emergencies! We strive to serve all our patients’ needs as best we can. Please refer to the ‘Post Op Care Info’ page of our website. There you will find information relating to common dental procedures as well as tips to minimize any discomfort you may have.

Before calling our emergency line, please carefully read below regarding our dental emergency guidelines:

  • What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?

    • Facial Injury (falls, sporting accidents, etc.) where a tooth has been avulsed (knocked out) or visibly broken. See below for info on what to do with an avulsed tooth.

    • Severe pain which cannot be controlled with over-the-counter medication

    • Uncontrolled oral bleeding

    • Rapidly progressing swelling; especially swelling (cellulitis) impinging on the airway; this is a true dental emergency; you should report to an emergency room immediately

  • What Does NOT Constitute a Dental Emergency?

    • Tooth pain which has been present for some time and can be managed with over-the-counter pain medication (ie. Tylenol or ibuprofen) until a call can be made during normal business hours

    • Calling to schedule an appointment

    • Lost fillings or crowns (see tips below)

    • Broken/chipped tooth with minimal to no pain

    If you do require emergency attention as outlined above, our Doctor’s contact information can be found on our answering service by calling our office number. Please understand that by calling you will be put in contact with Dr. Sarah or Dr. Gillian after working hours.

Avulsed (Knocked-Out) Teeth

  • Handle the tooth by the crown (top/biting area) and do not touch the roots

  • Do not scrub the tooth or attempt to remove any tissue attached to it - gently rinse if dirty

  • If possible, reposition the tooth in the socket immediately

  • If unable to re-insert the tooth, place it in a container with milk and minimize handling

  • Call our emergency line immediately; the quicker the tooth is re-inserted properly, the better the chance it can be saved

Crown or Filling Coming Out

  • While not a true dental emergency, here are some tips should a crown or filling fall out:

    • If you feel comfortable you can attempt to put the crown/filling in to see how it fits

    • Place a small amount of toothpaste or denture adhesive on the crown/filling and place it back in

  • Keep the area very clean and call us to schedule an appointment during normal business hours