What Qualifies as a Dental Emergency?

The short answer

A dental emergency is any sudden dental problem involving uncontrolled pain, swelling, bleeding that will not stop, or a tooth that has been knocked out, broken or loosened by an injury. Those need to be seen within a day or so, not at your next checkup. A chipped tooth that does not hurt, a lost filling with no pain, or a dull ache that comes and goes are urgent-ish rather than emergencies — book soon, but you are not in danger.

See someone the same day if

Pain that over-the-counter painkillers no longer touch.
Swelling in the gum, cheek or jaw — swelling means infection, and infection spreads.
A tooth knocked completely out. The first hour decides whether it can be saved.
A tooth pushed loose or out of position after a knock.
Bleeding from the mouth that has not stopped after 15 minutes of firm pressure.
A broken tooth with a sharp edge cutting your tongue or cheek.

Book soon, but you can wait a few days

A small chip with no pain and no sharp edge.
A crown or filling that has come out and is not sensitive.
Food packing between two teeth that floss clears.
An ache that comes and goes with hot or cold and settles in seconds.

Go to the emergency room, not a dentist, if

Trouble breathing or swallowing.
Swelling spreading toward your eye, under your jaw, or down your neck.
Bleeding that will not stop after 15 minutes of firm pressure.
A blow to the head with confusion, vomiting or any loss of consciousness.
A fever over 101°F together with facial swelling.

If any of these apply, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. That is a hospital problem, not a dental one.

Questions people ask

Is a toothache an emergency?

If it is keeping you awake or painkillers are no longer touching it, yes — that usually means the nerve is involved or there is infection, and both get worse rather than better. An ache that flares with cold and settles within seconds is not urgent, but it is worth booking.

Can I wait until Monday?

With swelling, no. Swelling is infection and it spreads along tissue planes in the face and neck. With a chip that does not hurt, waiting is fine. You do not have to wait for Monday, though: we are open Saturdays and Sundays too, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and keep time aside every day for urgent cases. Call (559) 616-7629 any time, day or night, to book.

Will the pain go away on its own?

The pain sometimes does. The cause almost never does. When a nerve dies the pain can stop completely for days or weeks, and people take that as recovery — then it comes back as an abscess. If pain disappears suddenly after being severe, that is a reason to be seen, not a reason to relax.

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Don't wait in pain — call and we'll find you a time. Call (559) 616-7629