Emergency Dentistry

What is a dental emergency?

Dental emergencies can include intense toothaches, cracked or chipped teeth, damaged restorations or lost teeth. About 22% of people report dental pain within six months. To assess if your issue is urgent, ask:

• Are you in severe pain or experiencing swelling?
• Do you have a persistent toothache?
• Is a tooth loose or knocked out?
• Are your cheeks or face swollen along with a toothache?
• Do you have extreme sensitivity?
• Is there uncontrollable bleeding?
• Has your jaw been injured?

Any issue needing immediate care to stop bleeding, relieve pain or save a tooth may be an emergency. Serious infections may also require urgent attention.

What is not a dental emergency?

If the issue can be managed by yourself for a few days without seeing your dentist, it probably isn’t a dental emergency. For instance, a chipped or cracked tooth is only an emergency if the fracture is painful, has caused trauma inside your mouth, or if you have lost a tooth or filling. You can wait a few days to see your dentist in those cases.

What’s the best way to handle a dental emergency?

For dental emergencies, contact your dentist right away. If the situation is severe, visit the emergency room. In the meantime, you can ease discomfort by:

• Rinsing with warm salt water
• Placing a knocked-out tooth in milk
• Flossing to relieve gum pressure
• Using a cold compress on swollen areas
• Rinsing with diluted hydrogen peroxide
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers

What is the cost of an emergency dental visit?

We’re committed to delivering top-quality dental care at a reasonable cost for our Dublin, Ohio, patients. Emergency visit fees typically range from $156 to $322, though your final out-of-pocket cost will depend on your current insurance coverage.