Emergency Dentist Near You: Same-Day Care for Tooth Pain, Breaks & Swelling

Severe or worsening tooth pain, facial or gum swelling, a knocked out or badly broken tooth, uncontrolled bleeding, and signs of infection such as fever with a painful tooth all count as emergencies. These problems tend to escalate rather than settle on their own, and prompt treatment usually means a simpler procedure and faster relief.

A dentist is the right choice for most tooth problems, because hospitals rarely treat the tooth itself and generally offer only pain relief or antibiotics. Go to an emergency room instead for facial trauma, a suspected jaw fracture, swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that will not stop with pressure.

Rinse gently with warm salt water, keep the head elevated, and apply a cold compress to the outside of the cheek for swelling. Over the counter pain relief taken as labelled can help. Avoid placing aspirin directly against the gum, and steer clear of very hot, cold, or hard foods until you are seen.

No. Many emergencies are resolved with treatments that keep the natural tooth, such as root canal therapy for an infected nerve, a crown for a badly broken tooth, or splinting for one loosened by injury. Extraction becomes more likely the longer an infection or fracture is left untreated, which is why prompt care matters.