Dental Emergencies in Calgary: What Counts and What to Do First
A cracked tooth on a Saturday night. A child who fell face-first at the playground. Here is how to tell a true dental emergency from something that can wait, and exactly what to do in the first ten minutes.
If you have ever held a piece of your own tooth in your hand at 9pm on a Sunday, you know that dental emergencies do not care about clinic hours. The good news is that most emergencies are more manageable than they feel in the moment, and knowing what to do in the first ten minutes often makes the difference between saving a tooth and losing one.
What actually counts as a dental emergency
Not every dental problem needs same-day attention. A true emergency usually involves one or more of the following: uncontrolled bleeding, a knocked-out permanent tooth, a tooth that has been pushed out of position, severe pain that will not respond to over-the-counter medication, visible swelling in the face or jaw, or trauma from an accident.
Things that feel urgent but can typically wait 24 to 48 hours include a lost filling with no pain, a chipped tooth with no sharp edge or sensitivity, and mild sensitivity that comes and goes. Call us either way — we would rather triage over the phone than have you sitting at home worrying.
Knocked-out tooth: the ten-minute window
If a permanent tooth has been knocked out, you have roughly 30 to 60 minutes to save it, and the first ten are the most important. Pick the tooth up by the crown (the white part), not the root. If it is dirty, rinse it gently with milk or saline for no more than ten seconds. Do not scrub it.
If you can, place the tooth back into its socket and hold it there with gentle pressure. If that is not possible, store it in milk, saliva, or a tooth preservation kit — never in water. Then call us immediately.
Cracked or broken tooth
Rinse your mouth with warm water. If there is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with clean gauze. A cold compress on the outside of your cheek can reduce swelling. Save any tooth fragments in milk if you can find them. Avoid chewing on that side until we see you.
Severe toothache
Rinse with warm salt water and gently floss around the tooth to remove anything trapped. Over-the-counter ibuprofen usually helps more than acetaminophen because it also reduces inflammation. Do not put aspirin directly on the gum — that is an old wives' tale that actually burns the tissue.
When to go to the ER instead of a dentist
Go straight to a hospital emergency room, not a dental office, if you have facial swelling that is affecting your breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding that will not slow after 15 minutes of pressure, or a jaw injury from a significant impact. Dental infections can become serious quickly when they involve the airway.
How to reach us
For dental emergencies during clinic hours, call us directly and mention the word "emergency" — we keep space in the schedule for urgent cases. For after-hours situations, our voicemail will direct you to on-call guidance. When in doubt, call. It is always better to check than to spend a night wondering.
And if you are reading this before an emergency happens: save our number in your phone now. Future you will be grateful.
Call or text us at 587-332-0895