Call
The Dental Place Warwick Logo

How to Han­dle Den­tal Emer­gen­cies: A Quick Guide for Patients

Deal­ing with a den­tal emer­gency can be daunt­ing. You might be wor­ried about the impact on your smile and if the dam­age will be per­ma­nent. On the oth­er hand, you also might be wor­ried about mak­ing a fuss. Many patients will suf­fer in silence through den­tal pain because they are wor­ried about ask­ing for an emer­gency appointment.

We want you to feel comfortable and confident asking for an emergency dental appointment any time you need one. In this guide, we’re looking at what you should do when you’re facing a dental emergency, and what you can do to keep yourself comfortable until you can see a dentist. By the end of this guide, you should feel more confident knowing what to do in an emergency and where to turn for help so you can address your dental problems quickly.

What is a dental emergency and what isn’t?

First things first, we need to understand what is a dental emergency and what isn’t. In general, if you’re in pain, you should treat this as an emergency. You can also consider it an emergency in the following situations:

  • You have knocked out a tooth

  • You have uncontrolled bleeding after a dental procedure

  • You have chipped or cracked a tooth and the edge is sharp

  • You’ve lost a bridge or crown

  • You have extreme swelling in your gums, cheek or jaw

The most common dental emergencies we see are tooth decay that has led to an abscess. This can be very painful. The difference between emergency dental pain and non-emergency dental pain is whether or not you can go about your day-to-day life. If it is stopping you from concentrating or it is so bad that you can’t sleep, it needs to be addressed quickly.

Another common dental emergency would be if you have been hit in the face and this has caused you to lose a tooth, chip a tooth, or you have pain in your jaw. You might not be able to see the damage, but an X-ray might reveal damage to the tooth roots that needs to be addressed quickly.

What can you do for dental pain?

If you are experiencing dental pain and you can’t visit a dentist yet, you might want to try some home remedies to help ease the pain. If you have an unexpected toothache, it can stop you from sleeping and prevent you from concentrating on your work. If this happens during the night, you might need to wait until the next day to see a dentist. You can try to following to help ease your pain until then:

  • Try sleeping with your head elevated. Lying flat can increase the pressure on your tooth, leading to discomfort.

  • Use over the counter pain medication such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. This should help to manage some of the pain.

  • You can use herbal remedies like clove oil to temporarily ease some of the pain. This works by depleting the pain receptors, allowing you temporary relief.

  • Use a cold compress on your face to help ease any swelling. Avoid using a hot compress as this can increase inflammation. You might find temporary relief with a hot compress, but the pain will quickly return.

  • Gargle with a salt water rinse to help reduce swelling in your gums.

  • Avoid very hot or very cold food during this time. Try switching to soft food that doesn’t need to be chewed to help ease your pain.

What can I do for a knocked out tooth?

If you have knocked out a tooth, there is a chance it can be saved if you can see a dentist as quickly as possible. Save the tooth and place it in a small container with some milk. This will protect the tooth while you wait to see a dentist.

Try to avoid playing with the gap in your teeth with your tongue. If you have bleeding, bite down on a compress of cotton wool to stop the bleeding.

If you can see a dentist quickly, there is a chance they will be able to save the tooth, but this chance reduces the longer you wait. If we miss the window to save your tooth, we can look at restoration options such as a dental implant or bridge.

What if I’m in pain after a dental procedure?

Some pain may be expected following a dental procedure, particularly as the dental anaesthetic wears off. Speak to your dentist about what you can expect after the procedure, as pain might be completely normal.

Some things that wouldn’t be normal include uncontrolled bleeding or swelling. If this happens, you should treat this as a dental emergency and seek help straight away.

Should I still see the dentist if the problem goes away?

If you find that your pain goes away while you are waiting for your appointment, you should still attend. Pain doesn’t arise from nothing, and it’s vital that we get to the heart of the problem. If you ignore the problem, there is a good chance it will come back, and the pain is likely to be worse next time. There could also be extensive damage done by leaving the damaged tooth.