Dental Health Time
Español My Smile

Emergency & Pain

Dental Emergency Checker

Is it a dental emergency? Answer a few quick questions to see how urgent your problem is, from the ER to home care, what to do right now, and what to tell the dentist.

If in doubt, call 911.

Question 1

First: is any of this happening right now?

If any of these apply, it's an emergency. Pick the one that fits best.

What counts as a dental emergency?

A dental problem is an emergency when it could threaten your breathing, your life or your health beyond the mouth. The American Dental Association (ADA) puts three things in this group: bleeding that won't stop, a spreading infection with swelling that could block the airway, and injuries to the face bones that could affect breathing.

Many other dental problems are urgent, but not emergencies. They need a dentist soon, usually within a day, but not an ambulance. The ADA's list of urgent problems includes:

  • Severe toothache from an inflamed nerve
  • Pain and gum infection around a wisdom tooth
  • Dry socket after an extraction
  • An abscess with pain and swelling
  • A broken tooth that hurts or cuts your cheek or tongue
  • A knocked-out or badly moved tooth after an injury

UK guidance from the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) adds time frames that this checker also uses. Emergencies need help within the hour, urgent problems within 24 hours, and non-urgent problems within 7 days. Some problems are fine with self-care unless they get worse.

When to go to the ER instead of a dentist

Go to the ER or call 911 if you have any of these. Each one is treated as an emergency in NHS, ADA or SDCEP guidance.

  • Swelling that makes it hard to breathe, swallow or speak
  • Swelling around the eye or down into the neck, or an eye that won't open
  • Bleeding that is still heavy after 20 minutes of firm pressure
  • A serious face or jaw injury, especially with fainting, vomiting or double vision
  • Teeth that suddenly don't meet, or a jaw you can't open or close (a possible broken jaw)
  • Fever or feeling very unwell together with dental swelling

For a toothache, a broken tooth or a lost filling without any of these signs, a dentist is usually the right place to go. Call the office first and say it's urgent.

What to do for each situation

SituationHow soonWhat to do now
Knocked-out adult toothEmergency: a dentist within the hourPick it up by the crown. Put it back in the socket if you can, or keep it in milk. Use our Knocked-Out Tooth Rescue
Knocked-out baby toothUrgent: same dayDon't put it back. It can damage the adult tooth underneath
Toothache that painkillers don't controlUrgent: same dayOver-the-counter pain relief, soft food. Call a dentist
Toothache that painkillers controlWithin a few daysSee a dentist if it lasts more than 2 days
Swelling, a bad taste or a high temperature with toothacheUrgent: same dayAn abscess won't go away on its own
Chip in the enamel, no painWithin a few daysKeep the pieces. Rinse with warm water
Break that hurts, or a pink spot in the breakUrgent: same dayKeep the pieces. Pain relief. Avoid chewing on it
Worsening pain 2–5 days after an extractionUrgent: same dayCall the dentist who took the tooth out. Check the Dry Socket Checker, or compare with normal healing, day by day
Lost filling or crown, little painWithin a few daysKeep the crown. Don't glue it back on yourself. If you need a new one, check what insurance pays for a new crown
Poking braces wireCall your orthodontistPush it flat with a pencil eraser or cover it with wax
Something stuck between teethSelf-care, then a dentistFloss gently. Don't dig with a pin or toothpick
Bitten lip or tongueSelf-care unless it's deepPress with a damp cloth, use a cold pack. Get help if it won't stop
Mouth ulcer lasting 2 weeks or moreWithin a few daysGet it checked by a dentist or doctor

These are general time frames. Your own dentist or doctor may tell you to come in sooner.

Pain relief while you wait

Dental guidelines now recommend non-opioid pain relief first for toothache. The ADA's 2024 guideline for people aged 12 and older recommends an anti-inflammatory (an NSAID such as ibuprofen or naproxen) first, alone or together with acetaminophen (paracetamol). If you can't take NSAIDs, acetaminophen alone is the usual alternative. The checker shows a short summary card. It isn't a dose calculator.

  • Follow the label. Don't take more than it says. More than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen a day is linked with liver failure, and many cold and flu medicines contain it too (ADA).
  • Ask a pharmacist if you have stomach, kidney, heart or liver problems, take blood thinners, are pregnant, or are buying for a child or teen.
  • Children under 16 should not take aspirin (NHS).
  • Never put aspirin on the gum. It can burn the tissue (ADA MouthHealthy).
  • For an adult with toothache, a warm salt-water rinse (½ teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water) can help. The NHS says it isn't suitable for children.

Pain relief only buys time. Most toothaches need a dentist to treat the cause.

How this checker works

  1. Warning signs come first, every time. The first question lists six red flags taken from NHS, ADA and SDCEP guidance. If any of them applies, the checker stops and shows an emergency result.
  2. You pick the main problem, such as toothache, swelling, a broken tooth or a problem after an extraction.
  3. A few follow-up questions narrow it down. For example, it asks whether painkillers control the pain, how long it has hurt, whether a knocked-out tooth was a baby or an adult tooth, or how many days ago a tooth was taken out.
  4. You get one of four levels, each with steps, things to avoid and a summary you can copy for the dentist.
LevelMeaningBased on
EmergencyCall 911 or go to the ER now (or a dentist within the hour for a knocked-out adult tooth)ADA "emergency", SDCEP "within 60 minutes", NHS A&E advice
UrgentSee a dentist today, within 24 hoursADA "urgent", SDCEP "within 24 hours"
SoonSee a dentist within a few daysSDCEP "within 7 days"
Self-careHome care. See a dentist if it doesn't improveSDCEP "self care"

The questions and wording are our own. SDCEP's flowcharts are not reproduced. Where sources differ, the checker picks the more careful option. For example, the NHS urgent dental care page says to see a dentist about an ulcer that has lasted 2 weeks or more, while the NHS mouth ulcers page and SDCEP say 3 weeks, so the checker uses 2.

Its limits. The checker can't examine you, take an X-ray or see your medical history. It doesn't diagnose anything. Its words, such as "commonly linked with dry socket", describe what a symptom often means, not what you have. If you're worried, or something changes, call a dentist or doctor. If any warning sign appears, call 911.

Your answers stay in your browser. The Copy link button saves only which answers you picked, never the text you type.

Frequently asked questions

When should I go to the ER instead of a dentist for tooth pain?
Go to the ER or call 911 if you have swelling that makes it hard to breathe, swallow or speak, swelling near your eye or neck, bleeding that won't stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure, a serious face or jaw injury, a jaw that won't open or close, or a fever with dental swelling. For toothache without these signs, a dentist is usually the right place.
Is a toothache a dental emergency?
Usually not an emergency, but it can be urgent. If painkillers don't control the pain, or you have swelling, a bad taste or a high temperature, see a dentist within 24 hours. If painkillers do control it, see a dentist if it lasts more than 2 days (NHS).
Is a knocked-out tooth an emergency?
A knocked-out adult tooth is: it has the best chance if it goes back in within about 15 minutes, or is kept in milk on the way to a dentist. A knocked-out baby tooth should not be put back, but your child should see a dentist the same day. The Knocked-Out Tooth Rescue walks you through it.
Will a dental abscess go away on its own?
No. The NHS says a dental abscess won't go away on its own. Even if the pain eases, the infection needs a dentist. Swelling that spreads to your eye or neck, or makes it hard to breathe or swallow, is an emergency.
What can I take for tooth pain while I wait?
The ADA's 2024 guideline recommends an NSAID such as ibuprofen or naproxen first, alone or with acetaminophen (paracetamol), following the package label. Ask a pharmacist if you have health problems or take other medicines. Don't put aspirin on the gum, and don't give aspirin to children under 16.
Can the ER pull a tooth?
Usually not. A Florida study notes that ERs generally aren't equipped or staffed to treat teeth, and most dental ER patients didn't get treatment that fixed the problem (Tomar 2016). The ADA's 2024 pain guideline adds that ER clinicians are rarely equipped to manage dental conditions, so they mainly ease the pain until you can see a dentist. Go to the ER for warning signs such as swelling that makes it hard to breathe or swallow. For a tooth that may need to come out, call a dentist and say it's urgent.

Sources

  1. NHS. Toothache. reviewed July 1, 2024. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  2. NHS. Dental abscess. reviewed March 18, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  3. NHS. How to find an emergency or urgent NHS dentist appointment. reviewed May 14, 2025. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  4. American Dental Association. What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?. updated March 30, 2021. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  5. American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). Dental Emergency - What if I break a Tooth. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  6. Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP). Management of Acute Dental Problems: Quick Reference Guide for healthcare professionals. 2013. Paraphrased; flowcharts not reproduced. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  7. Fouad AF, Abbott PV, Tsilingaridis G, et al. Dental Traumatology 2020;36(4):331-342. International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines for the management of traumatic dental injuries: 2. Avulsion of permanent teeth. 2020. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  8. NHS. Knocked-out tooth. reviewed February 6, 2025. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  9. American Association of Endodontists. Knocked Out Teeth. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  10. Carrasco-Labra A, et al. Journal of the American Dental Association 2024;155(2):102-117. Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the pharmacologic management of acute dental pain in adolescents, adults, and older adults. 2024. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  11. American Dental Association. Oral Analgesics for Acute Dental Pain. updated February 2, 2024. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  12. NHS. Wisdom tooth removal (Recovering from wisdom tooth removal). reviewed June 12, 2024. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  13. Cleveland Clinic. Wisdom Teeth Removal: Procedure & Recovery. 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  14. Cleveland Clinic. Tooth Extraction: Surgery & Healing. updated April 4, 2025. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  15. Cochrane (Daly BJM et al.). What treatments can be used to prevent and treat alveolar osteitis (dry socket)?. 2022. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  16. Cleveland Clinic. Dry Socket: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment. updated May 5, 2025. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  17. NHS 111 Wales. Lost Filling or Crown. updated February 18, 2025. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  18. Primary Care One, NHS Wales. Lost crown (dental advice poster). Accessed October 26, 2026.
  19. American Association of Orthodontists. What is an Orthodontic Emergency and How Do You Handle Them?. 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  20. NHS. Gum disease. reviewed April 20, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  21. NHS. Mouth ulcers. reviewed March 11, 2024. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  22. American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). Primary Tooth Development (eruption chart). 2012. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  23. American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). Permanent Tooth Development (eruption chart). 2012. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  24. Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. Oxfordshire Community Dental Service: Mouth care after surgery. reviewed July 18, 2025. Accessed October 26, 2026.
  25. Tomar SL, Carden DL, Dodd VJ, Catalanotto FA, Herndon JB. Journal of Public Health Dentistry 2016;76(3):249-257. Trends in Dental-Related Use of Hospital Emergency Departments in Florida. 2016. Accessed October 26, 2026.

Last reviewed by the Dental Health Time editorial team, against the sources above. How we review.

Toothache Cause FinderPain pattern → common causes and urgency Knocked-Out ToothFirst aid steps + timer to save the tooth Numbness CalculatorWhen will my lip stop being numb? Dental Anxiety Test5-question MDAS score + a plan for your dentist Dry Socket CheckerSymptoms check and risk factors, with evidence