How to Deal With a Dental Emergency
Got a cracked tooth or a cut in your mouth? It could require immediate dental care. Find out what to do in these 11 dental emergencies.
For a knocked-out permanent tooth, a significant dental injury, severe tooth pain or painful swelling, contact a dentist promptly. If a permanent tooth is knocked out, keep it moist and get to a dentist right away, because the first hour matters most. Call 911 or go to an emergency department for difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling that is spreading quickly in the face or neck, or serious bleeding that won't stop.
Should I call a dentist or go to the emergency department?
Call 911 or go to an emergency department for breathing or swallowing difficulty, rapidly spreading swelling or a serious injury such as a possible broken jaw or head injury. For a painful tooth, a chipped tooth or a broken restoration without these danger signs, contact a dentist for guidance. Our emergency dental care page explains how we handle urgent visits.
What should I do with a knocked-out tooth?
For a permanent tooth, pick it up by the crown, the part normally visible in the mouth, not the root. If it's dirty, rinse it briefly with cold water without scrubbing. If you can, gently push it back into the socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it in place. Don't force it. If it won't go back, keep it moist in milk, in an approved tooth-preservation solution, or inside the cheek of an adult or older child who won't swallow it. Don't store it in plain water or wrap it dry. Then see a dentist immediately. [1, 2]
Do not put a knocked-out baby tooth back into its socket. A child still needs prompt dental evaluation after the injury.
What if a tooth cracks or a crown comes out?
Rinse your mouth with warm water and use a cold compress on the cheek if there is swelling. Keep any recovered crown or fragment and contact the dentist. Do not use household glue. Avoid chewing on the affected tooth until you receive instructions. Read why a damaged tooth may need a crown for background after the urgent problem is assessed.
What can I do for a toothache while arranging care?
Rinse with warm water and gently remove trapped food with floss if you can do so comfortably. Do not place aspirin against the tooth or gums, because it can burn the tissue. [2] Our tooth-pain guide can help you describe the symptoms, but it does not replace an examination.
How do I reach our Jacksonville office?
Call the office at 904-398-1549. Explain the injury or symptoms, when they began and whether there is swelling. When someone is in pain, we try to see them the same day if we can.
The practice also has an on-call phone and text line, 904-762-5616. It may not be answered right away, so don't rely on it for an immediate response. For breathing or swallowing problems or rapidly spreading swelling, call 911. Please don't send sensitive health information by text.
If you can't reach us and the problem is urgent, see another available dentist or urgent care provider rather than waiting through worsening symptoms. Our office is at 3675 Hendricks Avenue, near San Marco. You can also contact us online for non-urgent questions.
Sources
Fouad AF, Abbott PV, Tsilingaridis G, et al. International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines for the management of traumatic dental injuries: 2. Avulsion of permanent teeth. Dent Traumatol. 2020;36(4):331-342. doi:10.1111/edt.12573 (retrieved via PubMed)
American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Dental emergencies. Accessed October 6, 2026.
American Association of Endodontists. Knocked-out teeth.
American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. First aid for a knocked-out permanent tooth.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.
Why Does My Tooth Hurt? Six Common Patterns
Not all toothaches are the same! Depending on the symptoms, toothaches can require different treatments. Understanding these symptoms can help Dr. Henley or Dr. Kelly determine how to help you feel better, faster.
Tooth pain usually comes from decay, a crack, exposed root surfaces, an inflamed or infected nerve, a problem with a filling, or pressure from the sinuses. When the pain starts, what sets it off and how long it lasts all point toward a cause, but the pattern alone can't confirm a diagnosis. Swelling, fever or pain that keeps you up at night should be checked promptly.
Why does my tooth hurt briefly with hot or cold?
A quick zing that fades within a few seconds often comes from exposed dentin. That can happen with gum recession, worn enamel, a small cavity or a filling whose edge has started to leak. Desensitizing toothpaste often helps when the cause is exposed root surface, but it won't fix a cavity or a leaking filling. If the sensitivity keeps coming back, or one tooth stands out, have it examined. Our guide to the causes of tooth sensitivity goes through the possibilities, and foods that trigger sensitive teeth covers what to go easy on in the meantime.
Why is my tooth sensitive after dental treatment?
Fillings, crowns and cleanings can irritate the nerve for a while. Mild sensitivity to temperature after treatment is common and usually settles over days to weeks. Sensitivity that is getting worse, lingers after the cold is gone, or comes with pain on biting should be looked at, because the bite may need adjusting or the nerve may be more irritated than expected. Read more about tooth pain after a filling.
Why does my tooth hurt when I bite or chew?
Pain on biting can come from a cracked tooth, a loose or high filling, decay, or inflammation around the root tip. A crack often causes a sharp pain when you bite down or release, sometimes only on one cusp. This pattern deserves a prompt visit. Depending on the cause, the answer may be a bite adjustment, a crown to hold a cracked tooth together, or root canal treatment if the nerve is involved.
What does lingering pain after hot or cold mean?
Pain that hangs on for more than about 30 seconds after the cold or heat is gone suggests the nerve inside the tooth is inflamed and may not recover. Pain that wakes you up or throbs on its own points the same way. This usually needs root canal treatment or, in some cases, removal of the tooth. Seeing a dentist early gives you more options.
Is severe tooth pain with swelling urgent?
Yes. Constant, severe pain with swelling of the gum or face, a bad taste or tenderness to touch usually means an infection at the root of the tooth, and the nerve may already have died. Treatment depends on the diagnosis and may include draining the infection, root canal treatment or extraction. Antibiotics help in some situations, but they don't remove the source of the infection. Don't wait for a dental infection to settle on its own. See our page on dental emergencies for what to do while you arrange care.
Can sinus pressure feel like a toothache?
It can. The roots of the upper back teeth sit just below the maxillary sinuses, so sinus inflammation can feel like a dull ache in several upper teeth at once, often worse when you bend forward. Our article on sinus infections and tooth pain explains how to tell the difference. An examination and X-rays can show whether a tooth is involved before you treat it as a sinus problem.
When should I go to the emergency room instead?
Trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that is spreading quickly in the face or neck, or a high fever with facial swelling needs emergency medical care. Call 911 or go to an emergency department rather than waiting for a dental appointment.
Where can I have tooth pain checked in Jacksonville?
Call our office at 904-398-1549 or contact us and tell us when the pain started, what triggers it, how long it lasts and whether there is swelling. When someone is in pain, we try to see them the same day if we can. At the visit, a comprehensive dental examination with the right X-rays connects the pattern you describe with what is actually happening in the tooth.
Sources
American Association of Endodontists. Tooth pain. Accessed October 6, 2026.
American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Sensitive teeth. Accessed October 6, 2026.
Craig JR, et al. Diagnosing odontogenic sinusitis: an international multidisciplinary consensus statement. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2021;11(8):1235-1248. doi:10.1002/alr.22777 (retrieved via PubMed)
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.