Emergency Dentist in Houston, TX

Time matters. Follow these steps:

• Pick the tooth up by the crown (the chewing surface), not the root.
• If it's dirty, rinse it gently with milk or water for a few seconds. Don't scrub it or remove tissue fragments.
• If possible, place it back in the socket and hold it there by gently biting down on gauze or a clean cloth.
• If you can't reinsert it, keep it moist in cold milk or a tooth-preservation solution. Avoid plain water for storage.
• Call [practice name] immediately. The sooner a tooth is reimplanted, ideally within an hour, the better its chance of survival.

For most dental problems, an emergency dentist is the better choice. We can diagnose and treat the cause, whereas an ER usually offers only pain management and antibiotics. Go to the ER or call 911 if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling that spreads to your eye or neck, a high fever with facial swelling, or a severe injury to your head or jaw.

Mild sensitivity may wait, but severe, throbbing, or worsening pain usually signals a deeper problem such as infection or nerve damage. Pain that wakes you at night, swelling, a bad taste in your mouth, or fever are signs you shouldn't wait. Call us as soon as you can for guidance.

• Rinse your mouth with warm salt water.
• Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek in 15-minute intervals.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers as directed on the label, if they're safe for you.
• Avoid placing aspirin directly on the gum, since it can burn the tissue.
• Avoid very hot, cold, or hard foods.