Dental Emergencies

Don't worry, we're here for you!

If you have a dental emergency contact the office as soon as possible at 905-877-0107. We have designated emergency time in our daily schedules in order to provide you with same day service.  If the office is closed, your dentist’s contact number can be found on our answering machine message. If you have a severe dental emergency, please go directly to the hospital.

Pain

Call the office as soon as possible to set up an appointment. In the meantime, keep the teeth in the area of the pain as clean as possible. Floss the area gently and rinse with salt water (1/2 tsp. salt in a glass of warm water) to remove any food that may be trapped between the teeth. Apply a cold compress to your face in the area of the pain. (Do not apply any heat to the area as it will make the pain worse.) For temporary pain relief you can take an over the counter pain medicine.

**Do not take any pain medicine that your medical doctor has advised you not to take.** 

Swelling                                                                                                                                                     

If you have facial swelling it is very important that you contact the office as soon as possible.Swelling can be caused by a variety of things including trauma, an insect bite or an infected tooth with an abscess.  For temporary relief apply a cold compress to the face in the area of the swelling.

**If the facial swelling is approaching the eye or is accompanied by fever, chills or vomiting call your family physician immediately or go directly to the hospital.**

Chipped Tooth

A chipped or broken tooth can almost always be saved. Call the office as soon as possible to set up an appointment. A small chip can usually be fixed with composite (white) filling material; a larger break may require a root canal and or a crown.

Knocked Out Tooth

If the tooth is a permanent or adult tooth the dentist might be able to put it back. Immediately retrieve the knocked out tooth by grasping the crown portion only (not the root), lightly rinse the tooth and gently reinsert the tooth into the socket holding it in place with a clean cloth or gauze. If you cannot reinsert the tooth into the socket, place the tooth in a cold cup of milk and bring it with you to the dental office. Time is essential in this situation so call the office immediately. If the office is closed, your dentist’s contact number can be found on our answering machine message.

Cut or Bitten Cheek, Lip or Tongue                                                                                                          

Use a clean cloth to apply pressure to the part of the mouth that is bleeding. If there is swelling, apply a cold compress to the face where the swelling is present. If the bleeding doesn’t stop call the office or go directly to the hospital.