Dental emergencies: what to do before you reach us

Knocked-out tooth

Time matters. A dentist has the best chance of saving a knocked-out tooth when it's back in its socket within one hour.

1. Pick the tooth up by the crown, the part you normally see, not the root.
2. If it's dirty, rinse the root briefly with water. Don't scrub it or remove any tissue attached to it.
3. Try to put it back in its socket, facing the right way. Never force it.
4. If you can't, keep it moist: in a small container of milk, in a cup of water with a pinch of salt, or in a tooth-preservation product. Never let it dry out.
5. Get to a dentist straight away.

Broken, cracked or chipped tooth

• Rinse your mouth with warm water, and keep any broken pieces.
• If it's bleeding, press gauze on the area for about 10 minutes.
• Hold a cold compress against the cheek or lip to ease pain and swelling.
• See your dentist as soon as possible. A small chip that doesn't hurt can wait for normal hours, and orthodontic wax can cover a sharp edge.

Severe toothache

• Rinse your mouth thoroughly with warm water, and use floss to dislodge any food stuck between the teeth.
• Hold a cold compress against any swelling.
• Take an over-the-counter painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, as the label directs.
• Never put aspirin or any other painkiller directly against the tooth or gum, because it can burn the tissue.

Lost filling, crown or bridge

For a lost filling, pack the cavity temporarily with sugar-free gum or an over-the-counter dental cement, and see your dentist soon.

For a crown or bridge, keep it and book an appointment right away. If you can, put it back, with a little dental cement, toothpaste or denture adhesive to hold it. Never use super glue.

Abscess or swelling

A dental abscess is a serious infection that can damage the tissue around it and the teeth beside it. Left untreated, it can cause swelling in the face or jaw and may spread to other parts of the body, so see a dentist as soon as possible.

To ease the pain in the meantime, rinse with a mild salt-water solution, half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water, several times a day. If swelling is spreading, or you find it hard to breathe or swallow, go to a hospital emergency department.

Bitten tongue or lip, and cuts inside the mouth

Rinse with mild salt water, then press gauze on the area for 15 to 20 minutes and hold a cold compress against it for 5 to 10 minutes. If the bleeding doesn't stop, see your dentist right away or go to a hospital emergency department.

Something stuck between your teeth

Try to remove it gently with floss or an interdental brush. Never use sharp or pointed tools. This isn't usually an emergency, but see your dentist if it won't come out.

When to go to a hospital instead

Go to an emergency department for a suspected broken facial bone, bleeding you can't control, severe pain that medicine doesn't ease, or when you can't reach a dentist and your symptoms are serious.