Dental emergencies are scary. They can happen very quickly, hurt A LOT, cause significant bleeding, and become an aesthetic nightmare. The important thing to remember is not to panic. Most anything can be fixed by a qualified dentist, so keep calm and follow our advice. Since not all emergencies are created equal, you have two choices when facing a dental emergency: you can go to the ER, or care for the injury until your dentist can fit you in for an appointment to fix your tooth/teeth. Let’s take a look at some of the most common dental emergencies and what you should do when you face them.

Toothaches

Toothaches can either be a minor discomfort or a severe pain, so you’ll have to listen to what your body is telling you with the severity of the toothache since it can be signaling something more severe. The first step is to rinse your mouth with warm water and use a cold compress if the area is swelling. If a painkiller like acetaminophen or ibuprofen doesn’t cure the pain, you’ll want to see your dentist as soon as possible.

Cracked/Broken Tooth

If you experienced a cracked tooth, a warm water rinse and cold compress are your friends once again. A cracked tooth can quickly lead to infection and other more major problems, so you’ll need to get in to your dentist as soon as possible. If the tooth is entirely broken off or chipped, keep the piece of your tooth and use gauze for any bleeding while heading to your dentist as soon as possible.

Loss of Permanent Tooth

If you experience a mouth injury and a permanent adult tooth falls out, do your best to find the tooth. If you can, rinse the tooth and try to put it back in place. If you cannot get the tooth in the socket or are worried about swallowing it, place it into a cup of fresh milk and call your dentist immediately.