If it isKnocked-out tooth: within the hour
If you haveTrouble breathing: hospital
CostInsured or not
In short
An emergency visit deals with the problem that cannot wait: a tooth out of its socket, pain that stops you sleeping, an infection that is swelling your face. Call 647.479.3151 and we tell you what to do in the next hour and when to come in.
Does this sound like you?
- A tooth knocked out or pushed loose. Keep it moist and call now.
- A toothache that keeps you up at night or does not ease with pain relief.
- Swelling in your gum, face or jaw, especially with a fever.
- A broken tooth, a crown that has come off, or a filling that fell out.
- Bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure on clean gauze or a cloth.
What to do right now, by situation
Every one of these is treated by Dr. Malik downstairs at 5105 Hurontario, Unit 6. If you are unsure which line you are on, call and we sort it out.
Call now
Adult tooth knocked out
Time matters more than anything else here. A tooth put back within about an hour usually has the best chance of staying.
Do now
- Pick it up by the white top, not the root.
- If dirty, dip it in milk for a second or two. No scrubbing.
- Push it gently back into the socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it.
- If that is not possible, drop it in a small cup of milk and bring it with you.
Don’t
- Do not wrap the tooth in tissue or let it dry out.
- Do not try to put a baby tooth back in. Call us anyway.
Same day
Broken or chipped tooth
A small chip can often wait. A break that hurts, bleeds or has a sharp edge should be seen the same day.
Do now
- Rinse your mouth with warm water.
- Save any piece you find in a bag with a little milk or saliva.
- Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or dental wax from a pharmacy.
- Cold on the outside of your cheek if it is sore or puffy.
Don’t
- Do not chew on that side.
- Do not file or glue the tooth yourself.
Same day
Severe toothache
Pain that throbs, wakes you, or gets worse with hot drinks often means the nerve is involved. It rarely settles on its own.
Do now
- Floss gently around the tooth. Trapped food is a common cause.
- Rinse with warm salt water.
- Take over-the-counter pain relief as the package says.
- Sleep with your head raised on an extra pillow.
Don’t
- Do not put aspirin or any pill against the gum. It burns the tissue.
- Do not use heat on the outside of your face.
Call now
Swelling in face or gums
Swelling usually means infection. It can spread, so it is not something to watch for a few days.
Do now
- Cold compress on the outside, 15 minutes on, 15 off.
- Rinse with warm salt water a few times a day.
- Note whether you have a fever and tell us when you call.
- Go to a hospital if it is hard to breathe, swallow or open your mouth.
Don’t
- Do not put heat on it. Heat can push the infection further.
- Do not squeeze or pop a swollen bump on the gum.
This week
Lost filling or crown
Not usually urgent, but the tooth underneath is weaker and often sensitive, so do not leave it for long.
Do now
- Keep the crown if you have it. Rinse it and put it in a bag.
- Cover the tooth with sugar-free gum or temporary dental cement from a pharmacy.
- Avoid very hot, cold or sweet food on that side.
- Call to book within the next few days.
Don’t
- Do not use household glue to stick a crown back on.
- Do not push the crown back on if it does not seat easily.
Same day
Bleeding after an extraction
Some oozing for a day is normal. Steady bleeding that soaks through gauze needs a call.
Do now
- Fold clean gauze or a damp tea bag and bite down firmly for 30 minutes without checking.
- Sit upright and keep your head above your heart.
- Repeat once with fresh gauze if it has not slowed.
- Call us if it still bleeds after the second try.
Don’t
- Do not rinse, spit or use a straw. Suction pulls the clot out.
- Do not smoke for at least a few days.
Emergency basics that apply to almost everything
These hold until you are in the chair. None of them replaces a visit.
Do
- Call 647.479.3151 first. We tell you whether to come straight in.
- Keep a knocked-out tooth moist: back in the socket, in milk, or inside your cheek.
- Use cold on the outside of your face for pain or swelling.
- Take over-the-counter pain relief as the label directs, by mouth.
- Rinse gently with warm salt water.
- Bring any broken piece, crown or filling with you.
- Write down when it started and what makes it worse. It speeds up the exam.
- Eat soft food on the other side until you are seen.
Don't
- Do not put aspirin or any tablet on the gum or tooth.
- Do not put heat on swelling.
- Do not scrub, dry out or wrap a knocked-out tooth in tissue.
- Do not glue anything in your mouth with household adhesive.
- Do not pop, squeeze or lance a swelling yourself.
- Do not take someone else's prescription painkillers or leftover antibiotics.
- Do not wait to see if it goes away. Infection usually gets worse, not better.
- Do not drive yourself if the pain or medication makes you dizzy.
What happens.
First visit to finish, in order.
Knocked-out tooth: within the hourTrouble breathing: hospitalInsured or not
- Call firstCall 647.479.3151 and tell us what happened and where it hurts. We tell you what to do right now and give you a time to come in; outside our hours, leave a message and say it is urgent.
- The next hourFor a knocked-out tooth, hold it by the white part and put it back in the socket if you can, or keep it in milk or inside your cheek. For swelling or a broken tooth, hold something cold against the outside of your face and keep any broken piece or loose crown in a bag.
- Find the causeDr. Malik examines the area and takes an X-ray if he needs one, then tells you what is wrong and what the options are.
- Stop the painWe numb the area properly and deal with the urgent problem at that visit: drain an infection, reposition a loose tooth, cover a broken tooth, recement a crown or replace a filling.
- Finish the repairSome problems are fixed in one visit. Others, like a root canal or a new crown, usually need a follow-up a week or two later, and you leave with the plan for it.
Cost and insurance.
An emergency visit is billed as an exam, an X-ray if needed, and whatever treatment you have at that visit. Most dental plans cover part of emergency care. We bill your insurance directly. You see the estimate in writing before anything starts, and you can choose to fix only what is urgent and plan the rest. No insurance? We tell you the cost up front.
Questions people ask.
What do I do with a knocked-out tooth?
Handle it by the crown, not the root, and rinse it briefly in milk or water only if it is dirty; do not scrub. Back in the socket is best, milk or inside your cheek is next. Call 647.479.3151 straight away, because the sooner it is back in place, the better its chance of staying.
Should I go to the emergency room instead?
Go to the hospital if swelling makes it hard to breathe or swallow, you have a high fever, or you think your jaw is broken. For a toothache, a broken tooth or a lost crown, call us first: a dentist can treat the tooth, and a hospital usually cannot.
What if it happens at night or on a Sunday?
Call 647.479.3151 and leave a message that says it is urgent, with your name and number, and we call you back first thing in the morning. Until then, keep something cold on the outside of your face, take over-the-counter pain relief as the package directs, and do not put heat on any swelling.
Will you pull the tooth?
Not if it can be saved. Dr. Malik does root canals, crowns and extractions himself, so you hear every option and its cost before you decide.