Is It a Dental Emergency, or Can It Wait?

It's Friday evening. You bite into something hard and feel a crack. Or a dull ache that started on Tuesday is now keeping you awake.

Do you need a dentist today? Or can it wait until Monday?

It's one of the most common questions people have about their teeth. The answer isn't always obvious, but a few clear signs can help you decide. Here's how to tell the difference, and what to do while you wait.

What Makes Something a Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency is any problem where waiting could cost you a tooth, or where you have signs of a serious infection.

Time matters most with injuries. As the American Dental Association (ADA) puts it, knowing what to do when an accident happens "can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth."

Pain alone doesn't always mean an emergency. But pain together with swelling, fever or injury usually does.

Get Help Right Away If...

A permanent tooth is knocked out. This is the most time-sensitive dental problem. The faster you act, the better the chance of saving the tooth.

Your face or jaw is swelling. MedlinePlus, the US National Library of Medicine's health site, calls swelling of the upper or lower jaw "a very serious symptom." It can be a sign of a tooth abscess, an infection that can spread if left untreated.

You have tooth pain with a fever or a bitter taste. These can also point to an abscess.

You can't close your teeth together. MedlinePlus notes this can mean the jaw is broken, which needs immediate care at a dentist's office or hospital.

You were hurt in an accident or fall. If the injury involves more than your teeth, get emergency medical care first.

If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, don't wait for a dentist. Go to the emergency room.

Call Your Dentist Soon If...

Some problems aren't urgent in the same way, but they still shouldn't wait long.

A toothache that won't go away. A throbbing ache that keeps coming back is worth a call. So is a small bump or "pimple" on your gum, which can be a sign of infection.

A cracked or broken tooth. Even if it doesn't hurt much, a crack can get worse.

A lost filling or crown. The tooth underneath is more exposed and can be sensitive. Keep the crown if you have it, and bring it with you.

Most dentists understand that problems don't follow a schedule. The ADA notes that many dentists keep time in their day for emergency patients, so it's always worth calling first.

It Can Usually Wait If...

A small chip with no pain. MedlinePlus says simple chips that don't cause discomfort may not need an emergency visit, though they should still be fixed.

Mild sensitivity to hot or cold. If it's brief and not getting worse, mention it at your next checkup.

Food stuck between your teeth. Try gently removing it with floss. The ADA advises never to use anything sharp or pointed.

If any of these get worse, or you start to see swelling, move them into the "call soon" group.

What to Do While You Wait

Here's what you can safely do at home, based on guidance from the ADA and MedlinePlus.

For a knocked-out tooth

• Pick it up by the crown (the chewing part), not the root

• Don't scrub or wipe the root, and don't clean it with alcohol or peroxide

• Keep it moist at all times. Never let it dry out

• If you can, gently place it back in the socket and bite on gauze or a wet tea bag

• If that's not possible, keep it in milk, or hold it between your cheek and gum

• Get to a dentist right away

Baby teeth are different. Call your child's dentist, and bring the tooth with you if you can find it.

For a toothache

• Rinse your mouth with warm water

• Gently floss to remove any trapped food

• Don't put aspirin directly on the tooth or gum, as it can burn the tissue

For a cracked tooth

• Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area

• Hold a cold compress on your cheek to keep swelling down

For a bitten lip or tongue

• Clean the area gently with water

• Apply a cold compress

Finding Help When It Happens

The best time to plan for a dental emergency is before you have one.

Save your dentist's number in your phone. Find out how they handle urgent problems, and what their hours are. In the UK, NHS 111 can help you find urgent dental care. In the US, many practices explain their emergency process on their website. For example, if you live in northern New Jersey, our practice is an emergency dentist Westwood NJ families can call for urgent problems like tooth pain, broken or knocked-out teeth, infections and swelling.

Wherever you are, give as much detail as you can when you call. What happened, when it started, and whether you have swelling or fever all help your dentist decide how quickly to see you.

A Few Habits That Prevent Emergencies

You can't prevent every accident. But a few habits lower the risk:

• Wear a mouthguard for sports

• Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy

• Use scissors, not your teeth, to open packages

• Keep up with regular checkups, so small problems are caught early

The Bottom Line

If you're not sure, call. A quick conversation with your dentist can tell you whether you need to come in today or whether it's safe to wait.

Trust your body, too. Swelling, fever and pain that keeps getting worse are signs to act on, not to wait out.