What to Do in a Dental Emergency

May 2, 2017/ Dr. Neal/ 0

Newmarket Dentist - Keep28 Dental Centre What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Acting appropriately in a dental emergency could mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth. There are a few types of dental emergencies — knowing what to do for each beforehand could be of vital importance one day.


Broken Tooth

A damaged tooth is only an emergency in the case a sizable piece breaks off or there is a large crack. In these cases, call your dentist for an immediate appointment and bring any broken piece of tooth with you in a cup of milk.


Knocked-Out Tooth

If you reach your emergency dentist Newmarket within the hour of knocking out a tooth, it is likely you will be able to save your natural tooth and avoid an implant. If it is an adult tooth, try to reinsert it yourself, holding the tooth by the crown without touching the root. Never do this with a baby tooth, as you could damage the permanent tooth under the gums.

Swelling in the Mouth

Swelling around the tooth and elsewhere on the gums is a sign of dental infection in the bone, gums, or tooth. An infection will never clear up on its own and can be serious. Contact your local emergency dentist and go straight to the dental clinic. Avoid lying down and drink plenty of fluids.



Another sign of infection is an abscess, which look like a pimple on the gums. Abscesses can be yellow, red, white, or clear. You need to see your dentist soon, but it is unnecessary to call for an after-hours appointment — if the abscess appears after business hours, schedule an emergency appointment for the following day. You will likely need a root canal or even tooth extraction. Avoid touching the abscess but keep brushing your teeth as normal.