An avulsed (knocked-out) tooth or one that has been partially dislodged requires immediate attention. If you’ve lost a tooth, put the tooth back in the socket if possible and hold it there until you receive emergency care. Otherwise, place the tooth in a small container of milk to preserve it. If replaced in the socket by our emergency dentist within the proper timeframe and held secure with a splint, the tooth may be able to be saved.

If you have a persistent, painful toothache that lasts more than a day or two, this may be a sign of an infected tooth. A tooth infection occurs when the hard enamel and dentin of your tooth are damaged, and the interior “pulp” is exposed to oral bacteria.

Whether it's sharp and sudden or dull and constant, tooth pain is hard to ignore. A toothache or tooth pain is caused when the nerve in the root of a tooth or surrounding a tooth is irritated. Dental (tooth) infection, decay, injury, or loss of a tooth are the most common causes of dental pain.

If you break or chip a tooth, you should rinse your mouth with warm water right away to clean it, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). Apply pressure to stop any bleeding, and place a cold compress on the area to reduce swelling.

If you can find the piece of broken tooth, wrap it in wet gauze and bring it with you to the dentist.

A dry socket is a pocket of pus in a tooth caused by an infection. The infection can result from an untreated cavity, injury, or old dental work. Symptoms include pain, bad breath, and fever. The abscess must be drained. A root canal or antibiotics may be needed. Sometimes, the tooth needs to be pulled.

Dry socket (alveolar osteitis) is a painful dental condition that sometimes happens after you have a permanent adult tooth extracted. Dry socket is when the blood clot at the site of the tooth extraction fails to develop, or it dislodges or dissolves before the wound has healed.

Dry socket is treated by your dentist by flushing it thoroughly with saline, and then packing it with medicated paste or dressing. Depending on your pain severity, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or an analgesic drug may be prescribed.