What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Dental emergencies are stressful, but knowing what to do in the first few minutes can make the difference between saving and losing a tooth. Townsville Dental Clinic offers same-day emergency appointments – if you are experiencing a dental emergency right now, contact us. For general guidance on when to seek urgent dental care, see healthdirect — Dental injury and healthdirect — Toothache and Swelling. Here’s a step-by-step guide for the most common urgent situations.

Knocked-Out Tooth

This is the most time-critical emergency. You have roughly 30 to 60 minutes for the best chance of replantation (IADT, Dental Trauma Guidelines).

Do:

1. Pick up the tooth by the crown (the white part) — never touch the root
2. If it’s dirty, gently rinse with milk or saline. Do not scrub or remove tissue fragments
3. Try to place the tooth back in the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it in place
4. If you can’t reinsert it, keep it moist — in a glass of milk, inside your cheek, or in saline
5. Contact us immediately for an emergency appointment

Don’t:

• Let the tooth dry out
• Wrap it in tissue
• Store it in water (this damages root cells)
• Handle the root surface

Severe Toothache

A sudden, intense toothache usually indicates infection or a cracked tooth.

Immediate steps:

1. Rinse your mouth gently with warm salt water
2. Take over-the-counter pain relief (ibuprofen is generally most effective for dental pain)
3. Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek if there’s swelling
4. Do not place aspirin directly on the gum — this causes chemical burns

Do not ignore it. Toothache that wakes you at night or causes facial swelling requires same-day care. An untreated dental infection can spread to surrounding tissues and, in rare cases, become a medical emergency.

Broken or Chipped Tooth

The urgency depends on the severity:

• Small chip with no pain — Contact us within a few days. Dental bonding can often repair it in one visit
• Large break exposing the inner tooth — This is urgent. Keep the area clean and see us the same day
• Break with severe pain or bleeding — Rinse gently, apply pressure with gauze, and call immediately

Save any tooth fragments — we may be able to reattach them.

Lost Filling or Crown

A lost filling or crown exposes sensitive tooth structure but is generally not an emergency.

Temporary measures:

• Keep the area clean and avoid chewing on that side
• For a lost crown, apply a thin layer of toothpaste or denture adhesive inside the crown and gently press it back into place as a temporary measure
• Book an appointment within a few days — we’ll assess whether the existing crown can be recemented or a new one is needed

Dental Abscess

Signs of an abscess include:

• Persistent, throbbing pain
• Swelling in the face, jaw, or neck
• A pimple-like bump on the gum (often draining pus)
• Fever

An abscess will not resolve on its own. It requires professional treatment — typically drainage and antibiotics, potentially followed by root canal treatment to save the tooth. Healthdirect’s tooth abscess guide explains warning signs and when to seek emergency care immediately.

If swelling affects your breathing or swallowing, go directly to the emergency department.

Be Prepared

Keep our contact details somewhere accessible. Dental emergencies happen at unexpected times, and knowing where to turn reduces panic and saves critical time.

At Townsville Dental Clinic, we reserve capacity for emergency appointments and aim to see urgent cases the same day.

Having a dental emergency right now? Contact us immediately for urgent care.