Same day emergency dental care

What counts as a dental emergency

A dental emergency is anything urgent enough that waiting until a regular appointment is going to hurt you, cost you a tooth, or risk a more serious infection. The most common ones we see:

• Severe, throbbing tooth pain that will not respond to over the counter pain medication
• A tooth that has been knocked out or pushed out of position
• A broken, chipped, or cracked tooth
• A crown, bridge, veneer, or filling that has fallen out
• Visible swelling in the face, jaw, or gums
• A pimple or draining bump on the gum near a painful tooth
• Bleeding that will not stop after firm pressure for ten minutes
• Trauma to the mouth from a fall, sports injury, or car accident
• An object stuck between teeth that you cannot dislodge with floss

If you are not sure whether what you are experiencing is an emergency, call us. We would rather get you on the phone and help you triage than have you sit at home wondering.

Severe tooth pain

Severe, throbbing tooth pain almost always means the nerve inside the tooth is inflamed or infected. Common causes include deep decay that has reached the pulp, a cracked tooth, an abscess, or trauma. Tooth pain rarely resolves on its own and never resolves without addressing the underlying cause. Painkillers buy time. They do not fix anything.

Tooth infections can become serious. The bacteria can spread into the jawbone, the sinuses, the throat, and in rare cases the bloodstream. Before modern antibiotics, dental infections killed people regularly. They still occasionally do. If you have a swollen face, fever, or difficulty swallowing along with tooth pain, treat it as an emergency and call us immediately.

Most cases of severe tooth pain are treated with a root canal to save the tooth or, if the tooth cannot be saved, an extraction. We will diagnose the source with X-rays and pulp testing and walk you through your options the same visit.

Knocked out teeth

A permanent tooth that has been knocked completely out of the socket can sometimes be saved if you act quickly. The clock matters. The chances of successful reimplantation drop significantly after the first 30 to 60 minutes. Here is what to do:

1. Pick up the tooth by the crown, the part you see when you smile, never by the root.
2. Rinse it gently with milk, saline, or clean water if it is visibly dirty. Do not scrub, do not use soap, and do not dry it.
3. Try to put it back in the socket. Push gently until the top of the tooth is even with the neighboring teeth, then bite gently on a clean cloth or tea bag to hold it in place.
4. If you cannot reinsert it, store the tooth in cold milk, saline, or your own saliva by tucking it inside your cheek. Do not store it in plain water.
5. Call us immediately and head to the office.

Baby teeth are different. A knocked out baby tooth should not be reimplanted because it can damage the developing adult tooth underneath. Bring the child in for evaluation but leave the tooth out.

Broken teeth and lost restorations

A chipped or broken tooth is usually less urgent than a knocked out one but still warrants prompt attention. The exposed inner tooth structure is sensitive and vulnerable to bacteria. If the break is small and there is no pain, calling for the next available appointment is reasonable. If the break is deep, painful, or bleeding, treat it as an emergency.

A lost crown, bridge, veneer, or large filling is also worth a same day or next day appointment. The exposed tooth underneath is fragile and can decay quickly. If you find the restoration, save it and bring it in. Do not try to glue it back yourself with home adhesives, since you can make the recementation harder when we see you.

Until your appointment:

• Rinse your mouth with warm water
• If there is bleeding, apply firm pressure with clean gauze for ten minutes
• Use a cold compress on the cheek to reduce swelling
• Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen as directed for pain
• Avoid chewing on the affected side
• Cover sharp edges temporarily with a piece of sugar free chewing gum or dental wax to protect your tongue and cheek

Swelling, abscess, and infection

Swelling around a tooth or in the face is a sign of active infection and needs immediate attention. A small bump or pimple on the gum is often a draining abscess and is also urgent even when it does not hurt much. The lack of pain in some abscesses is misleading. The infection is still active and still spreading.

If swelling extends to your eye, your neck, or affects your breathing or swallowing, this is beyond a routine dental emergency. Go directly to a hospital emergency room. Otherwise, call us, come in, and we will start antibiotics if appropriate, drain the abscess if needed, and plan definitive treatment such as a root canal or extraction.

What to do before you arrive

For most emergencies:

• Call us first so we can prepare and put you at the front of the line
• Bring a list of your current medications and any allergies
• Bring any pieces of broken tooth or restoration if you can find them
• Take ibuprofen and acetaminophen as directed, alternating, for pain control
• Apply a cold compress to the outside of the cheek, 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off, to control swelling
• Eat something light if you are able, since being on an empty stomach makes pain worse

After hours and weekends

Our office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. After hours, weekend, and holiday calls are routed to our after hours line at (916) 581-3363. Our after hours line will help you decide whether you need to come in first thing the next business day or head to a hospital emergency room.

Our office is at 1105 E Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Easy parking, central midtown location, and a team that understands what you are going through.