When it cannot wait for the next check-up
Some dental problems are uncomfortable but can wait a day or two for an appointment. Others need help the same day. Swelling in the face or neck, a fever with tooth pain, trouble swallowing or breathing, or bleeding that will not stop need urgent care, and an emergency room is the right place if you cannot reach a dentist.
For a knocked-out permanent tooth, time matters. Hold it by the top, not the root, rinse it briefly if it is dirty, and get to a dentist straight away.
What this page covers
- Signs that mean go today
- A knocked-out, loose or broken tooth
- A lost filling or crown
- Toothache while you wait for an appointment
- What to say when you call a practice
- Out-of-hours options near you
When you call
Say what happened, when it started, whether there is swelling or fever, and what you have taken for pain. Practices often keep time for urgent cases and will ask these questions to decide how soon to see you.
A question worth asking: “Based on what I have described, how soon should I be seen?”
Common questions
For swelling that is spreading, a fever, or trouble swallowing or breathing, yes. For pain alone, a dentist is usually the right first call.
Keep it moist, ideally in milk or held in the cheek if the person is old enough not to swallow it, and see a dentist straight away. Baby teeth are not put back in.
That depends on what is happening. If you are unsure, call a practice or an out-of-hours dental line and describe it.
This page is general information. It is not a diagnosis or advice about your own teeth; ask a licensed dentist who has examined you.