Signs You May Need to see an Emergency Dentist

When you’re dealing with a severe dental problem, your dentist should be your first call.  But sometimes accidents happen when most dental offices aren’t open like on a weekend, or during a holiday like July 4th or later in the evening.  If you have a Dental Emergency, Dr. Lopez Bhushan at Glorious Smiles is available to see patients for their dental emergencies at her practice in Flower Mound, TX.

First, It’s important to understand the difference between a standard dental issue and a Emergency Dental Issue. 

How to know if it’s a Dental Emergency? 

  • Severe pain and bleeding from the mouth

  • Losing a tooth or loose teeth.  (Adults should not loose teeth)

  • An abscess or serious infection in your mouth.  You may notice swelling on your gums or face

What isn’t a Dental Emergency 

  • If you have lost a crown or filling, you can likely wait a few days to see your dentist. 

  • A normal toothache can also wait for treatment as long as the pain is not severe and you don’t have symptoms like:  swelling of the face, bumps on the gums, or a high fever.

  • If your tooth is chipped but does not hurt, you can wait to see a dentist.

Here are the most common type of Dental Emergencies and what you can do, prior to seeing a dentist.

  • Knocked-Out Tooth - It’s possible that you might have knocked out a tooth playing a sport or working on the job.  If you take quick action after the tooth has been knocked out, it’s possible your dentist can still preserve your tooth.   Pick up the tooth by the top (also known as the crown), make sure to not touch the root of the tooth. Rinse the tooth, without scrubbing it.   Place the tooth in a cup of milk to help preserve it and get it to the dentist as quickly as possible. 

  • Cracked or Chipped Tooth - If you cracked or chipped a tooth, the first thing you should do is clean your mouth with warm water and put some ice in a ziploc bag.  Place the ziplock back on the outside of your face to reduce swelling. Take an Analgesic, like TYLENOL, Ofirmev, Mapap. These can help with the aches and pains.

  • Abscessed Tooth - A dental abscess is a severe dental emergency.  This is where a pocket of pus in the tooth has led to an infection.  There are usually several symptoms you will feel when you have an abscessed tooth including fever, toothache, swelling in your face, pimple like bump on your gums and tooth sensitivity to hot and cold.  To reduce the pain, you need to rinse your mouth with mild salt water several times to reduce the pain. This will also help move the pus to the surface. Please contact a dentist immediately. 

How you can avoid potential Dental Emergencies

  • Wear a mouthguard when you play sports like Basketball or Football (or any other activity where you might easily get hit in the face)

  • Be careful when chewing/biting hard foods like Jolly Ranchers, Nuts, Ice and French Bread Crust/Rolls. 

  • Visit your dentist regularly to get routine check ups.  

If you’re dealing with a dental emergency, time matters and don’t hesitate to contact Glorious Smiles in Flower Mound, TX to get treated. 



Maggie KennedyGlorious SmilesEmergency Dentist, Flower Mound, Lewisville