Toothache or Broken Tooth? What to Do Before You Get to the Dentist

Dental pain has a way of starting on a Friday night. A tooth that was quietly sensitive for weeks begins to throb, or a molar cracks on something that should have been soft. If that is where you are right now, call us at (810) 715-3368 as early in the day as you can, because the earlier you call the better our chances of fitting you in today. Everything below is what to do in the meantime.

What counts as a dental emergency

If you are not sure whether your problem qualifies, it probably does. These are the ones we treat most often at our Burton office:

• Severe or throbbing toothache, especially one that wakes you at night
• Swelling in the face, jaw or gums
• A knocked-out tooth
• A broken, chipped or cracked tooth, particularly if it is sharp or painful
• A lost crown, bridge or filling
• Bleeding that will not stop
• An injury to the mouth from a fall or a sports collision
• Pain around a wisdom tooth that is getting worse rather than better

Two things that feel urgent but usually are not: a dull ache that comes and goes over weeks, and sensitivity to cold that fades within a few seconds. Both are worth an appointment soon. Neither usually needs to be tonight.

What to do in the first hour

For a toothache, rinse with warm salt water, floss gently on either side of the tooth to clear anything trapped, and take over-the-counter pain relief as directed on the package. Ibuprofen tends to work better than acetaminophen for dental pain because most toothaches involve inflammation, though take whichever is safe for you. Hold a cold compress against your cheek rather than against the tooth itself.

Do not put aspirin directly on the gum. It is an old remedy that does nothing for the tooth and can burn the tissue. Heat is the wrong instinct here too: if there is any infection, warmth encourages it.

For a broken tooth, rinse your mouth, save any pieces you can find and bring them with you. If the broken edge is sharp, a piece of sugar-free gum or dental wax pressed over it will protect your tongue and cheek until you get here.

A knocked-out tooth: the first 30 minutes matter most

An adult tooth that has been knocked out can often be saved, and the odds drop quickly with time. Pick it up by the crown, the chewing part, and never by the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly under cool water without scrubbing it and without using soap.

The best place for it is back in its own socket. Push it gently into place and bite softly on a clean cloth to hold it there. If that is not possible, put it in a cup of milk or tuck it inside your cheek. Milk is much better than water, which damages the surface of the root. Then call us immediately and say that it is a knocked-out tooth, so the front desk knows to treat it as urgent.

A knocked-out baby tooth is different. Do not put it back, because that can damage the adult tooth forming underneath. Call us and we will tell you what to do.

When to go to the emergency room first

Most dental problems are handled better, and far more cheaply, in a dental office than in a hospital. There are exceptions, and they matter. Go to the nearest emergency room, or call 911, if you have swelling that makes it hard to breathe or swallow, swelling spreading toward the eye or down the neck, a fever alongside facial swelling, bleeding you cannot control, or a suspected broken jaw. Those need medical care first, and we will pick up the dental side afterward.

How same-day visits work at our Burton office

We hold time in the schedule for emergencies rather than booking every slot in advance, which is how we are able to see most urgent patients the same day. Call early, describe what is happening, and the front desk will tell you honestly whether we can fit you in today or first thing tomorrow.

You do not need to be an existing patient. We see people from Burton, Flint, Davison, Grand Blanc and across Genesee County who have never been here before, including plenty who called several offices first. We accept Medicare and Medicaid along with most PPO plans and the Healthy Michigan Plan, and we file the claim for you. If you are not covered, we offer CareCredit and payment plans through Dort Financial Credit Union, and you will see the cost in writing before anything starts.

We are at 1024 N. Genesee Rd, just off I-69 between Court St and Davison Rd, with free parking right at the door.

What it usually turns out to be

Most emergency visits end in one of a handful of places. A deep cavity that reached the nerve is treated with root canal therapy, which relieves the pain rather than causing it, usually followed by a crown. A cracked or heavily broken tooth is often rebuilt with a crown. A lost crown can frequently be recemented the same day. Occasionally a tooth is too damaged to save and an extraction is the kindest answer, in which case we will talk through how to replace it later.

Whatever it is, the first goal of the visit is to get you out of pain. The plan comes after that, once you can think straight.

If something is hurting right now, call (810) 715-3368. If it is after hours, call anyway and follow the instructions on the message. New and existing patients from Burton, Flint and across Genesee County are welcome, and you can also request an appointment online.

Questions patients ask us

About the author

Dr. Prabha Raju, DDS

Dr. Raju has practiced dentistry in Burton, Michigan since 1997, with advanced training in implants, sedation, laser dentistry and Invisalign.

Meet Dr. Raju →

Tender Dental Care, 1024 N. Genesee Rd, Burton, MI 48509. Serving Flint, Grand Blanc, Davison, Flushing, Swartz Creek, Fenton and Genesee County. This article is general information, not a diagnosis; please see a dentist for advice about your own mouth.