Dental emergencies don’t schedule themselves conveniently. A tooth breaks on a Saturday morning. A crown comes off before a work trip. Pain escalates at 11pm.
What you do in the first hour often affects the outcome. Here’s how to handle the most common situations, and when to call us right away.
Call us first at 206-362-5400. We prioritize urgent care and can often see patients the same day.
Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth
This is the most time-sensitive dental emergency there is. Reimplantation is most successful within the first 30 to 60 minutes.
Do this:
- Pick the tooth up by the crown (the chewing surface), never the root
- If it’s dirty, don’t use water to clean it! Rinse gently with milk or saline for a few seconds. Do not scrub or use soap
- Try to reinsert it into the socket and hold it in place with light pressure or a clean cloth
- If you can’t reinsert it, store it in milk, saline, or the patient’s own saliva
- Call us immediately and head in
Don’t: let the tooth dry out, store it in tap water, or scrub the root surface.
For a knocked-out baby tooth, do not attempt to reinsert it. Call us for guidance.
Broken, Chipped, or Cracked Tooth
Save any pieces you can find. Apply a cold compress to the outside of your face to limit swelling. If there’s a sharp edge, dental wax, over-the counter dental putty or cement, or sugar-free gum can cover it temporarily to protect your tongue and cheek.
Avoid chewing on that side and call us to be seen. Even a chip that doesn’t hurt can expose inner tooth structure to bacteria.
Severe Toothache
Persistent, throbbing pain usually signals infection or nerve involvement, and it will not resolve on its own.
Rinse with warm salt water and use over-the-counter pain relief as directed. A cold compress on the outside of the cheek can help. Keep your head elevated when lying down, since pressure often intensifies pain flat on your back.
Never place aspirin directly against the gum tissue. It burns the tissue and won’t help the tooth.
Call us right away if you also have facial swelling, fever, a bad taste from drainage, or difficulty swallowing or breathing. Swelling that spreads toward the eye or down the neck is a medical emergency and warrants immediate care.
Lost Filling or Crown
Keep the crown if you have it and bring it with you. Sugar-free gum or temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can cover the area short term. Avoid chewing on that tooth and avoid very hot, cold, or sweet foods, which will likely trigger sensitivity.
Don’t use household adhesives of any kind. Call us to schedule a repair.
Something Stuck Between Teeth
Try gentle flossing first. If that doesn’t work, stop. Sharp objects, pins, and toothpicks can damage gum tissue or drive the object deeper. Call us and we’ll remove it safely.
Broken Braces Wire or Aligner Issue
For a poking wire, use a pencil eraser to gently push it flat, then cover it with orthodontic wax dental putty from a pharmacy. Don’t cut the wire. If an aligner cracks, continue with your previous set and call us.
If You’re Anxious, Tell Us
Emergencies are stressful on their own. If you also carry anxiety about dental visits, walking into an unfamiliar office in pain can feel like a lot to manage at once.
We take that seriously. You can tell us how you’re feeling when you call, and again when you arrive. We’ll explain what we’re doing before we do it and adjust the pace to what you need.
One patient came to us for the first time with an urgent cavity and described the experience this way:
“First time visiting Lyons Creek, I had an emergency cavity that needed immediate attention, I was nervous and full of anxiety, everybody at the office was so comforting and eased my fears, from the front desk to Chris who understood the situation. Him and his equally comforting assistant were able to save my tooth and did amazing job so far. I highly recommend and hopefully I can make this my regular dentist, was well worth the drive from West Seattle.”
You don’t need to be an established patient to call us in an emergency, and you don’t need to have your nerves under control before you pick up the phone.
When to Go to the ER Instead
Go to the emergency room or call 911 for:
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Facial swelling spreading toward the eye or throat
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Suspected jaw fracture
- Significant facial trauma or head injury
Hospitals can manage infection and trauma, but they generally can’t perform definitive dental treatment. Follow up with us afterward.
Prevention Is Worth Mentioning
A meaningful share of dental emergencies are preventable. Custom mouthguards for sports, a night guard if you grind, addressing small problems before they become urgent, and keeping regular visits all reduce your odds of an unplanned crisis.
We’re Here When Something Goes Wrong
Save our number in your phone now, before you need it: 206-362-5400.
While our office is located in Shoreline, we regularly care for patients traveling in from across the greater Seattle area, including Edmonds, Lynnwood, North Seattle, Ballard, and West Seattle. When something urgent happens, we’ll do everything we can to get you in quickly no matter where you’re coming from.
Lyons Creek Dental Care in Shoreline. We’ll get you in, take care of what needs doing, and explain everything clearly along the way.
