What is a Dental Emergency?

Experiencing a dental emergency is a situation we all hope we never have to face. But what type of situation requires a call to your dentist for immediate attention? People who tend to be cautious may consider a non-throbbing toothache an emergency, while stoical types might think they can tough out a cracked tooth until their dentist can fit them in during the week. Unless a tooth is knocked loose — or out completely - or the condition causes intense, ongoing tooth or jaw pain, determining what constitutes a dental emergency can be somewhat fuzzy.

Knowing the situations in which calling your dentist a.s.a.p. - or your dentist’s after-hours emergency number - will help you get the necessary help when time is of the essence. Moreover, knowing the conditions that need treatment but won’t be detrimental to your tooth and/or overall health if you schedule a priority appointment with your dentist will save you from going into panic mode.

What Situations Qualify as a Dental Emergency?

Although some situations are obviously emergencies, others may be not as obvious if you’ve never experienced them before. Even so, take them seriously and seek treatment immediately!

A knocked-out (avulsed) tooth — Typically the result of a sports injury or other traumatic event, there can actually be a good chance of having the tooth successfully reimplanted if the circumstances are right, the tooth has been properly handled and you reach the dentist in time. Our blog post — “So You Lost a Tooth! How to Handle Accidental Tooth Loss” — covers this topic in greater detail. For those who participate in contact sports, we strongly recommend using a mouthguard to prevent this type of injury.

To increase the probability of reimplantation, take the following actions immediately after the tooth is knocked out:

Don’t touch the root, only the crown.
Try to place it back in the socket, if possible.
Or place it between your cheek and gum or a container of milk.
Use a cold, wet compress for bleeding.
Call the dentist on the way to his/her office if the injury occurs during office hours. This will give your dentist time to prepare so you can be treated without delay when you arrive.

A loosened tooth — An injury that loosens a tooth in its socket requires immediate attention. Because the tooth is still in your jaw, the probability of saving it is better than a knocked-out tooth. Your dentist can use a splint to attach the loose tooth to the surrounding teeth, giving it stability and support while it heals.

A severely broken or cracked tooth — As with the previous two examples, a damaged tooth is typically the result of trauma, although not necessarily due to injury. Biting down on ice, hard candy and shelled nuts can cause serious damage - as can using your teeth as a tool (such as a bottle opener). Teeth grinding (bruxism) can be another cause. A tooth cracked down to the gumline is an emergency, as is any tooth injury that causes severe, ongoing pain.

An infected oral abscess — A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus from a bacterial infection. Abscesses can occur in different places around a tooth for different reasons and affect not only the involved tooth, but also the surrounding bone and sometimes adjacent teeth. This needs to be treated as soon as possible, as you could develop sepsis - a life-threatening infection that spreads throughout the body. Those with a weakened immune system are at even greater risk. Our blog post - “What Causes a Tooth Abscess?” - covers this topic in greater detail.

Severe dental pain — In addition to a tooth abscess, pain that is intense and ongoing can be a symptom of untreated periodontal (gum) disease or tooth decay that has reached the pulp and become infected (irreversible pulpitis). Once the condition has reached this stage, immediate treatment is necessary.

What Conditions are Urgent, but Can Wait for Treatment During Regular Business Hours?

Some dental conditions require treatment sooner than later, but can be resolved by scheduling an appointment during your dentist’s regular hours. However, don’t become complacent and ignore it, as waiting too long could result in the condition becoming an emergency!

As our blog post - “How Can You Tell If It's a Dental Emergency?” - notes, only your dentist can make the determination whether a situation is a true emergency when it isn’t as extreme as a knocked-out tooth, a tooth cracked down to the gumline or an abscessed tooth. When you call your dentist’s office and explain your circumstances, your dentist should be able to advise you on whether you need to be seen that day, or schedule an appointment for a later date. Situations that may be considered urgent but not an emergency include the following:

Lost filling that does not involve the risk of infection.
Minor toothache.
Minor tooth chip that does not go deep into the crown and does not cause bleeding.
Cracked dental crown – unless the crown has sharp, jagged edges that could cut your tongue or cheek.

What to Do Until You Get to the Dentist

Even in the event of a dental emergency, you may not be able to be seen immediately —especially if you have to go to an after-hours emergency clinic. Here are ways to help alleviate pain and discomfort until you’re able to get treatment.

Cracked or broken tooth:

Rinse the tooth fragment and the mouth with lukewarm water.
Apply gauze to the area for 10 minutes if there is bleeding.
Place a cold, damp face towel on the cheek to minimize swelling and pain.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.

Dislodged or loose tooth:

Apply a cold compress.

Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.

The Take-Home Message

Some dental emergencies are unavoidable, such as those resulting from trauma. If you participate in contact sports, wearing a mouthguard can prevent injuries resulting in tooth loss. Moreover, avoid biting down on ice cubes and hard foods - as well as using your teeth instead of bottle openers and scissors - to prevent cracked and broken teeth. Other types of emergencies can be prevented by regularly practicing good oral hygiene and scheduling twice-yearly examinations and cleanings with your dentist, who will find early indications of dental decay, periodontal disease or other conditions so they can be treated in a timely manner.

At NK Family Dental, it is our mission to provide the highest quality and most compassionate oral care to our Chicago patients, including both dental and periodontal services. Our practice is trusted for advanced oral surgery procedures and comfortable root canal treatment.

Our team of experienced, dedicated dental professionals will help address your oral health concerns, and determine the best solution for you based on your individual situation. We strive to identify treatment options that fit your needs.

Our dental specialists include our general dentist, Dr. Nilofer Khan, our endodontist, Dr. Sabek, and our periodontist, Dr. Amir Danesh. Dr. Danesh is a board-certified periodontist and Diplomat of the American Board of Periodontology. He has contributed to the publication of two books, as well as published over 20 papers in prestigious dental research journals.

We serve the neighborhoods of Logan Square, Bucktown, Humboldt Park, and Wicker Park with the dedication that’s earned us the reputation as the Best Dentist in Chicago!

We understand that the main concern you may have is cost, which is why we accept all major PPO plans for dental insurance and also offer our in-house dental plan. Please see our financing page for more information.

Schedule your visit through ZocDoc, or contact us directly. We look forward to treating you soon!

How Can You Tell If It’s A Dental Emergency?

There is never a good time for a dental emergency, but holidays seem to be the worst - especially this year when many of us feel more comfortable attending family and social gatherings and enjoying seasonal activities. However, pent-up demand for fun can increase the risk for cracking or chipping a tooth on foods such as nuts and hard candy, or knocking a tooth loose during a backyard sports competition or overly rambunctious play - which is more likely to happen to children when they’re left to their own devices outdoors. And let’s not overlook the adverse effect that alcohol can have on physical coordination and judgment.

Of course, a holiday dental emergency isn’t always the result of a mishap. An abscessed tooth knows no season - nor do other dental problems that suddenly occur. But the inconvenient timing could make you reluctant to seek the immediate treatment that’s necessary and hope a severe toothache just “goes away” on its own, or a tooth cracked down to the gumline can hang in there until mid-January. Spoiler alerts: It won’t, and it can’t!

We at NK Family Dental understand that you don’t want to interrupt your holiday plans for what may or may not be a dental emergency. With that, we will focus on how to recognize the signs of a dental emergency and what to do if you have one. Keeping calm and knowing what to do can make the difference between escalating a bad situation, or getting treatment that ultimately results in a good outcome.

What is a Dental Emergency?

While a number of dental or oral complications may cause some discomfort, not all can qualify as an emergency. The level of dental care required will be an important factor in determining if your situation is an emergency. Because of this, your dentist will be the one to decide what constitutes a dental emergency - which is even more reason to contact him or her immediately if you feel like you require emergency-level care. Our blog posts - “How to Know If It’s a Dental Emergency” - cover in detail what is and is not considered a dental emergency. As a refresher, here are some of the most common dental emergencies, according to Cigna and our previous blog posts:

Extreme toothache
Lost or damaged tooth due to an injury
Broken, cracked or chipped tooth
Infected oral abscess (infection around the tooth’s root or gum line)

A lost filling or crown is an emergency if you experience any signs of infection, as bacteria can spread to other areas of your body. This can lead to sepsis - a life-threatening infection - if left untreated. Signs of a tooth infection include the following:

Severe pain, especially pain that does not respond to pain relievers
Swelling in the affected part of your jaw or face
Fever
Trouble opening your mouth or moving your jaw

Which Situations are Not Dental Emergencies?

Again, only your dentist can make this determination. When you call your dentist’s office and explain your circumstances, your dentist should be able to advise you on whether you need to be seen that day, or schedule an appointment for a later date. Situations that may be considered urgent but not an emergency include the following:

Lost filling that does not involve the risk of infection
Minor toothache
Minor tooth chip that does not go deep into the crown and does not cause bleeding

How to Seek Treatment for a Dental Emergency

Your immediate steps depend on many factors, including the nature of your emergency, your dentist’s availability, or your proximity to the nearest dental office. If you are able, call your dentist first to see how they recommend treating the condition and to set up an appointment. Even if it’s after regular business hours, your dentist’s office may have an emergency number you can call to contact an on-call emergency dentist. Calling your dentist first ensures that you will be given the best recommendation for fast treatment.

If you are out of town and far from your dentist, the American Dental Association (ADA) provides the Find a Dentist tool to help you locate dentists nearby.

Do not go to a hospital emergency room unless your condition involves a medical emergency, such as a jaw fracture. Hospital ERs are not equipped to handle a knocked-out tooth, or a severely cracked or abscessed tooth. Our blog post - “So You Lost a Tooth! How to Handle Accidental Tooth Loss” - covers steps for recovering, preserving and transporting a tooth lost to trauma to improve the odds of having it successfully re-implanted by a dentist.

The Take-Home Message

Although a dental emergency is never convenient, experiencing one during the hectic holiday season is even more stressful. Calling your dentist immediately is essential to receiving timely treatment if the situation is a true emergency, or scheduling an appointment if it is urgent but not an immediate threat to your oral or general health. Hopefully, whichever turns out to be the case, you’ll be able to finish the year with a bright, healthy smile - and plenty to smile about!

At NK Family Dental, it is our mission to provide the highest quality and most compassionate oral care to our Chicago patients, including dental, orthodontic, and periodontal services. Our dental specialists include our general dentist, Dr. Nilofer Khan, general dentist associate Dr. Yang, our periodontist, Dr. Amir Danesh, and our endodontist, Dr. Sabek.

We serve the neighborhoods of Logan Square, Bucktown, Humboldt Park, and Wicker Park with the dedication that’s earned us the reputation as the Best Dentist in Chicago!

Schedule your visit through ZocDoc, or contact us directly. We look forward to treating you soon!

How to Prepare for a Dental Emergency

While there’s no way to anticipate when or how a dental emergency will happen, there are thankfully many ways you can be prepared to get a quick handle on the situation. Knowing the steps to take and having the right resources at your disposal can help minimize the effects and severity of a dental emergency. Broken teeth, sudden tooth loss, severe dental pain, signs of an oral infection and more are all potential signs of dental emergencies.

We’ve previously covered what exactly is a dental emergency and what to do in a dental emergency in our NK Family Dental blog. So today, we’re helping you get prepared for the hopefully rare circumstance of experiencing one!

Keep reading to learn more - and contact us at NK Family Dental immediately if you are in need of dental emergency services near Logan Square, Bucktown, Humboldt Park or Wicker Park neighborhoods in Chicago, IL.

Packing Your Emergency Kit

Because no two emergencies are alike, it’s important to have as many possibilities covered when preparing for a dental emergency. That starts with putting a dental emergency kit together that you can easily access at any time. It’s a simple checklist, but it can make a world of difference between the time an emergency occurs and the time you can see your dentist.

Here are some of the most important items to include in your dental emergency kit:

Your dentist’s contact information
Sterile gauze
Toothpaste
Floss
Toothbrush
Save-A-Tooth (emergency tooth preservation product)
Tylenol (Not aspirin - This can increase bleeding)

Keep these items in an easily accessible and clearly labeled bag or container in your home, car, or with you when traveling. When traveling, you might also want to include a written URL of the ADA’s Find-a-Dentist tool. Consider even keeping a few emergency dental kits around just like you would a first-aid kit! You can never be too prepared, after all.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Dental Emergencies

So, you know what immediate items you’ll need on hand in the event of an emergency, but do you know what you should actually do once one occurs? Familiarizing yourself with what you should and shouldn’t do in a dental emergency ensures that you’re not only materially prepared, but mentally prepared, as well.

Let’s look at the “Do’s and Don’ts” of dental emergencies, with some guidance from Ask the Dentist and Harvard Health Publishing:

Toothache

Do — Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, rinse out your mouth with warm water, use ice in the affected area and floss to remove any food debris.
Don’t — Apply pain relievers such as aspirin directly on the irritated tooth/gum area, or apply heat or eat irritating foods (very cold, hot, spicy or sweet).

Facial Swelling

Do — See a dentist immediately (especially if other signs of infection are present), keep yourself upright (even if sleeping) and drink plenty of water/fluids to stay hydrated in the event of an infection.
Don’t — Delay seeing a dentist and/or doctor, lie down flat or neglect to stay hydrated.

Broken or Chipped Tooth

Do — Collect all the fragmented pieces, rinse out your mouth with warm water, stick chewing gum or dental wax on top of the remaining tooth, take an over-the-counter pain reliever if needed and contact your dentist.
Don’t — Eat hard candy or foods, and don’t attempt to glue the tooth or broken pieces back together.

Knocked-Out or Lost Tooth

Do — Pick up/touch the tooth by the crown (top) only, rinse off any blood/dirt with milk (preferred) or cold running water, gently place the tooth back in the socket if possible (if not, in cold milk or wrapped in a damp cloth can work), and get to your dentist as soon as you absolutely can.
Don’t — Touch or scrub the root of the lost tooth.

Pain When Biting or Chewing

Do - Contact your dentist to explain the pain you feel when biting or chewing, then schedule an appointment to see your dentist soon.
Don’t — Bite or chew on the affected tooth or area of the mouth, especially for hard foods and candies.

Bleeding Gums

Do - Rinse out your mouth with warm salt water, maintain proper oral hygiene with brushing and flossing, use a toothbrush with rubber gum massagers or a tip stimulator, and see your dentist for regular cleanings.
Don’t — Stop brushing your teeth or decrease your oral hygiene activities, as this can increase the condition of gum disease leading to periodontal disease and potentially tooth loss.

Gum Abscess

Do - Brush and floss like normal and set up an appointment with your dentist for the next day.
Don’t — Try to pop the abscess.

Pulpal (Inner Tooth) Abscess

Do — Talk to your dentist as soon as symptoms of temperature sensitivity, irritation when biting or chewing, or random periods of pain from a tooth occur.
Don’t — Put off seeing your dentist and possibly endodontist, as you could require root canal treatment to prevent tooth loss.

Bleeding After a Dental Procedure

Do — Keep your head elevated, apply pressure to the bleeding area with clean gauze for five minutes at a time, try pressing a damp tea bag to the cut for up to five minutes, call your dentist if the bleeding does not stop after applying pressure, contact an oral surgeon, or visit the emergency room if there is significant bleeding and if your dentist can’t be reached.
Don’t — Rinse out your mouth, lie down or wait to seek medical assistance.

Lost or Broken Crown or Filling

Do - Save the crown or filling, protect the exposed tooth with dental wax, temporarily reattach a crown with denture adhesive and schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.
Don’t — Eat either very cold or very hot foods/drinks, and don’t force the filling back into place on your own if it won’t easily go back in.

Broken Dental Appliances

Do - Save the broken pieces (including dental implants, dentures and bridges), use dental wax to cover any protruding pieces or damaged teeth, and keep dentures removed until you see your dentist, and schedule an appointment ASAP.
Don’t — Glue any pieces back together, bend any wire clasps or wrap appliance pieces up in tissue.

What About the Emergency Room?

In most cases, your dentist will be able to care for your dental emergencies. However, you should also know the few instances where it might be better to go to the emergency room at the hospital instead. Emergency rooms are not equipped to provide dental treatment, but they can provide emergency pain relief and treatment for health concerns outside the realm of the teeth and gums.

Consider going to the emergency room if you have experienced trauma to the head or jaw, if you are experiencing signs of severe infection (fever, facial swelling, throbbing toothache, tooth sensitivity, inflammation and oral abscesses), or if you have excessive bleeding from the mouth. Even if you choose to go to the ER, call or have someone with you call your dentist to inform them of the dental emergency, as your dentist may still be able to assist in the situation.

Chicago Dental Emergency Services

Dental emergencies can be a stressful time, but the best way to minimize that stress is to be prepared. We hope you will keep this guide handy in your dental emergency preparedness kit to save you some anxiety and to increase the chances of easy recovery.

If you are experiencing a dental emergency near Logan Square, Bucktown, Wicker Park or Humboldt Park in Chicago, NK Family Dental is here for you. See our emergency dental exam page for information on scheduling an emergency appointment, and contact us directly with any questions or concerns you may have.

For our regular dental services such as dental implants, root canal treatment and more, schedule an appointment with NK Family Dental through ZocDoc!

How to Know if it's a Dental Emergency

Unfortunately, good oral hygiene is not sufficient to keep the potential for dental emergencies at bay. Because everyone is susceptible to experiencing a dental emergency, it’s important to know your plan of action. Not all dental pain may necessitate an emergency visit, so here is a basic guide to help you determine when you should make that call to your dentist - either during office hours or after-hours.

What Is a Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies vary in type, severity and treatment. According to Shawn Watson, writing for Verywell Health, they involve a high level of pain and impaired function to the teeth, mouth and/or jaw. In general, a situation is considered a dental emergency when a tooth has been lost due to injury (such as a sports-related injury) or is in immediate danger of being lost, as well as an abscess (infection around the tooth’s root or gum line).

Signs of a Dental Emergency

Because dental emergencies exist on a variable scale, it can be difficult to determine exactly what qualifies as a dental emergency. Very serious emergencies tend to apply to tooth fractures and infections. Conditions that are still urgent but may not be at the high level of severity as an emergency can include intermittent dull, low-level tooth pain and tooth sensitivity.

However, dental pain is one of the easiest-to-notice signs of a dental emergency. This pain can present as spontaneous, throbbing or even feel warm. It may spread to the cheek, temple or ear. Other dental pain may be severe and persistent - made worse by chewing or biting - and can lead to the development of an abscess. Left untreated, an abscessed tooth can turn into a serious, life-threatening condition.

Cracking, breaking, or suddenly losing a tooth due to injury can be considered dental emergencies. Should you lose a tooth because of injury, our January 23 blog post — “So You Lost a Tooth! How to Handle Accidental Tooth Loss” - provides instructions on what to do to improve the chance of the tooth being successfully re-implanted.

You should call your dentist for an emergency appointment if you have:

A cracked tooth
A broken tooth
The sudden loss of a permanent tooth not caused by injury

When it comes to less severe matters like tooth sensitivity or minor discomfort, you should schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible. These signs may be indicators of loose fillings, minor tooth decay or a small amount of gum recession exposing parts of the tooth’s root surface.

Many types of dental emergencies can be prevented by wearing a properly fitting mouth-guard while participating in sports, not engaging in bad habits like chewing ice and — of course - scheduling twice-yearly dental exams and cleanings. Your dentist will be able to detect and treat early signs of decay or other conditions before they have the opportunity to develop.

Should You Go to the Hospital or the Dentist?

Some dental emergencies cross the line to a medical emergency that requires calling 911 or going to the nearest hospital’s emergency room.

You should go to the hospital emergency room if you have:

A jaw fracture
A dislocated jaw
A lost tooth due to a violent injury
Severe lacerations or cuts to your mouth and face
Difficulty breathing or swallowing due to infection caused by an abscessed tooth

What to Do if You Can't Reach the Dentist

Dental emergencies don’t always wait for a convenient time to occur during normal business hours. Your dental emergency may not be severe enough to go to the ER, but it might need to be treated ASAP by your dentist. Fortunately, many dentists provide patients with a phone number they can call for after-hours emergencies or for on-call substitute dentist recommendations.

If you are unable to see a dentist but are experiencing severe pain and need immediate treatment, go to your nearest healthcare facility. It is highly recommended that you make every attempt to see a dentist if your emergency is not life-threatening, as you will be financially responsible for all applicable ER and related medical fees.

Chicago Dental Emergencies

Contact us immediately for our NK Family Dental Emergency Exam if you are in the Chicago area and need emergency dental treatment for toothache relief, swollen jaw relief, sore gum relief, cracked tooth repair, repair of lost or loose fillings, root canal therapy or other types of dental treatment. Your emergency appointment with Dr. Nilofer Khan will include an examination to assess/diagnose your condition, digital x-rays of the affected area (if needed), and treatment.

If possible, call the NK Family Dental office before arriving, so we can be prepared to treat you quickly and effectively. For after-hours emergencies, please follow the instructions on our recorded phone message.