Knocked-out permanent tooth
Time is critical, a permanent tooth that's been knocked out can sometimes be re-implanted if you act within 30 to 60 minutes. Pick the tooth up by the crown (the white part), not the root. Rinse it gently with milk or saline if it's dirty. Try to slip it back into the socket; if you can't, store it in milk or saliva, NOT water, and come straight to our office.
For baby teeth, don't try to re-implant, call us first to assess.
Broken or chipped tooth
Save any pieces in a small container with milk or saliva. Rinse your mouth with warm water. Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to reduce swelling. If there's bleeding, apply gentle gauze pressure for 10 minutes.
Call us same-day if the break exposes the inner tooth (yellowish dentin or red pulp), if there's significant pain, or if a sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek.
Severe toothache
While you call our office:
- Rinse with warm salt water to clean the area
- Take ibuprofen 400–600 mg (or acetaminophen if you can't take NSAIDs)
- Apply a cold compress to the outside of the cheek, not directly to the tooth
- Avoid extreme hot or cold drinks
- Do NOT place aspirin directly on the gum, it can cause a chemical burn
Lost crown or filling
A lost crown or filling usually isn't an immediate emergency, but it should be addressed within a few days. The exposed tooth structure is vulnerable to fracture and decay. Temporary dental cement (available at drugstores) can hold a crown in place for a day or two. Avoid chewing on that side. Don't try to glue it with super glue, it's toxic and makes our re-cementing harder.
Swelling or facial abscess
A facial swelling that's hot to the touch, accompanied by fever, or making it hard to swallow or breathe is a serious emergency. Don't wait, call our office immediately. After hours, go to the emergency room. Dental abscesses can spread to surrounding tissues and become life-threatening if neglected.
What we can handle same-day at Cusp Dental
We hold same-day slots on our schedule specifically for emergencies. Most of these we can fully treat in one visit:
- Severe toothache evaluation, X-ray, and pain management
- Knocked-out tooth re-implantation (within the critical 60-minute window)
- Chipped or fractured tooth temporary repair or full bonding
- Lost crown or filling, re-cement or temporary placement
- Abscess drainage and antibiotic prescription
- Soft tissue injuries (cheek bites, lip lacerations) requiring suturing or evaluation
- Wisdom-tooth pain triage and same-week extraction if indicated
Questions about your specific case?
Every patient's mouth is different. The article above covers the general principles, for a personalized recommendation, schedule a consultation with Dr. Sidhu.