Don't put off seeing a dentist if you have a toothache or another dental emergency. We might be able to save your tooth and get you out of pain if you act quickly.

Common Dental Emergencies and What You Should Do

  • Broken or Cracked Tooth: Use warm water to rinse out your mouth and apply a cold compress for swelling.
  • Knocked Out Tooth: If possible, put the tooth back in its socket. If that's not possible, place the tooth between your cheek and gum or put the tooth in milk. Don't touch the roots (bottom) of the tooth.
  • Tooth or Jaw Pain: If you have swelling or difficulty swallowing, you may have an infection. Tooth and jaw pain can also be caused by a dental abscess.
  • Cuts to Your Tongue or Mouth: Clean the cut with water and apply a cold compress to help with the bleeding.

If you have any of these symptoms, call us to schedule an emergency appointment or walk in to our office. We will do everything possible to relieve your pain. You can also contact the nearest emergency room. It's important to treat the emergency as soon as possible.

If your child has a toothache, what should you do?

There's nothing remotely fun about having a toothache. But if adult toothaches are bad, dental emergencies in children are worse. Children experience pain more intensely than adults because they lack a "central inhibitory response," which makes things like toothaches far more agonizing than they usually are; according to Gulur et al., a child's toothache is a sign of something more serious. Tooth decay that enters the pulp chamber causes pain. Dental pulp, which contains blood vessels and nerves, weakens and becomes uncomfortably sensitive. However, aside from this, there are also additional causes of toothaches, including: 

  • Stuck food particles. Food can gradually wedge between the teeth if it becomes trapped somewhere it shouldn't be. A toothache might then result from this activity, causing gum irritation.
  • Cracked or chipped teeth. In addition to dental decay, chips in the teeth may result in discomfort if they enter the pulp chamber.
  • Loose dental fillings. If a dental filling gets loose or taken off, it can leave your teeth vulnerable to bacteria or foreign particles. It can start when they step foot inside the sealed area.
  • Growing teeth. An infected tooth may not always be the source of a toothache. Sometimes, especially in younger children, the irritation of a developing tooth can cause discomfort.

What Are Other Common Causes of Facial Pain?

Abscessed Tooth: In most cases, significant tooth decay is the cause of this condition, a painful gum, and dental infection. Other reasons for tooth trauma include tooth fracture, chipped or fractured teeth, gum disease, and tooth trauma.

Burning Mouth Syndrome: The burning mouth syndrome refers to an agonizing sensation in the lips, tongue, or palate that may also cause general mouth discomfort. One theory for the origin of burning mouth syndrome is nerve damage. However, there are also times when the reason for this condition is unknown. 

Cluster Headache: A cluster headache is one of the most excruciating types of migraines. People frequently talk about having unbearable pain in or around one of their eyes when they wake up in the middle of the night. A cluster headache, red, watery eyes, runny noses, and nasal congestion are typical symptoms. Cluster headaches might endure for a few weeks to months, and they frequently end with remission intervals. They use this term to describe a headache that repeatedly trembles, usually on one side of the head, commonly accompanied by nausea and blurred vision.

Tic Douloureux: Also known as trigeminal neuralgia, this is known as a stabbing, severe pain on one side of the face. It starts from one or more nerve branches that support the feeling and motor functions of the face.

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ) Syndrome: TMJ syndrome, also known as temporomandibular joint dysfunction, is a condition that affects the joints and chewing muscles at the base of the skull and the lower jaw. Myofascial pain condition is another name for it. Symptoms include trouble swallowing, popping or clicking in the jaw joint, and pain that typically persists for a few months before going away.

Sinus Infection or Sinusitis: Sinusitis is the inflammation of the nasal passages and sinuses. This condition can cause pressure in the cheeks, nose, eyes, and forehead areas.

An individual suffering from a sinus infection can also suffer from fever, cough, bad breath, sore throat, and nasal congestion that comes with thick nasal secretions. In addition, long-term (chronic) or sudden onset (acute) sinus infections are possible.

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