What Is a Dental Emergency?
Aug 25, 2025
What Is a Dental Emergency?
Dental emergencies can be frightening and painful, often occurring without warning. In a moment of panic, it can be difficult to know what to do. Is this a problem that can wait until morning, or does it require immediate attention?
Knowing the difference can help you stay calm and take the right steps to save your tooth and protect your health. At Veda Family Dentistry, we define a dental emergency as any situation that involves severe pain, uncontrolled bleeding, or a time-sensitive need to save a tooth. This guide will help you identify a true emergency and know what to do next.
Common Dental Emergencies and Immediate First Aid
If you are experiencing any of the following, you likely have a dental emergency and should contact our office immediately.
1. A Knocked-Out Adult Tooth
This is one of the most time-sensitive dental emergencies.
What to Do Now: Gently pick up the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface), avoiding the root. If it's dirty, rinse it briefly with milk or water. Try to place it back in the socket and hold it there. If you can't, store it in a small container of milk and call us immediately.
2. A Severe, Persistent Toothache
A throbbing, unbearable toothache is not regular. It is almost always a sign of a deep cavity or a severe infection (abscess) in the tooth's nerve.
What to Do Now: Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to clean the area. Applying a cold compress to the outside of your cheek can help reduce swelling. Do not place aspirin directly on the tooth or gum. Call us for an urgent appointment.
3. A Cracked, Broken, or Fractured Tooth
A significant break, especially one that causes pain or has sharp fragments, requires immediate attention to prevent further damage or infection.
What to Do Now: Rinse your mouth with warm water. Apply a cold compress to your face to minimize swelling. Call our office right away.
4. A Dental Abscess
This is a severe, potentially life-threatening infection at the root of a tooth or in the space between the teeth and gums. It often looks like a painful, pimple-like swelling on your gums.
What to Do Now: Call our office immediately. An abscess will not go away on its own. If you have an abscess accompanied by a high fever and significant facial swelling, go to the nearest hospital emergency room, as the infection may be spreading.
What Is Not a Dental Emergency? (But Still Needs Attention)
Some dental issues may feel urgent, but can typically be addressed during a regular appointment without compromising your health.
A lost filling or crown: Save the crown if you can. Call our office to schedule a visit.
A minor chip or crack with no pain: This should be repaired, but doesn't usually require an emergency visit.
Dull, manageable toothache: While you should call us to book an appointment, a dull ache is not typically a sign of a severe infection.
Your First and Most Important Step: Call Your Dentist
In any dental emergency, the most important thing you can do after providing immediate first aid is to call your dentist. Hospital emergency rooms are generally not equipped to handle specific dental emergencies, such as a knocked-out tooth or an abscess, and will almost always refer you back to a dentist.
Veda Family Dentistry Is Here for Your Dental Emergency
If you are in the West New York, NJ area and experiencing a dental emergency, do not wait. Call our office immediately. We set aside time in our daily schedule specifically for urgent cases and will do everything in our power to see you as soon as possible, relieve your pain, and address the problem.
Our Location: 5405 Bergenline Ave Ste 1, West New York, NJ 07093
