Dental emergencies never pick a convenient moment. A tooth gets chipped at Saturday’s game, a filling comes out at dinner, or a dull ache turns into a sleepless night. Knowing what to do in the first hour — and what truly can’t wait — often makes the difference between saving a tooth and losing it. Here’s the guidance we give Keller families, from our team at Keller Parkway Dental.
What counts as a dental emergency?
Call us promptly if you’re dealing with any of these:
- A knocked-out permanent tooth — the most time-critical emergency of all
- Severe toothache that throbs, spreads, or keeps you awake
- Swelling in your gums, face, or jaw — a possible sign of infection
- A cracked or broken tooth, especially with pain or a sharp edge
- A lost crown or filling exposing sensitive tooth structure
- Bleeding that won’t stop after an injury or extraction
First-aid steps that protect your tooth
Knocked-out tooth
Pick the tooth up by the crown — never the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it gently with milk or water for a few seconds; don’t scrub it. If you can, place it back in the socket and bite gently on gauze to hold it. If not, keep it in a cup of milk and get to a dentist immediately. Teeth replanted within about an hour have the best chance of being saved.
Severe toothache
Rinse with warm salt water, floss gently to clear anything lodged between teeth, and use an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed. Don’t place aspirin against the gum — it burns the tissue. A cold compress on the outside of the cheek helps with swelling. Then call us; pain that severe usually means the nerve is involved, and it won’t resolve on its own.
Cracked or broken tooth
Rinse your mouth with warm water, save any pieces, and cover a sharp edge with dental wax or sugar-free gum if it’s cutting your cheek. Avoid chewing on that side until we’ve seen it.
Lost crown or filling
Keep the crown if you have it — we can often re-cement it. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can protect the tooth for a day or two, but don’t use household glue, and don’t wait long: an exposed tooth decays quickly.
When to go to the ER instead
Go to the emergency room first if you have facial swelling that affects your breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, or a possible jaw fracture from an accident. Hospitals can manage the immediate danger — then we’ll take care of the tooth itself.
What happens when you call us
Tell us what happened and where it hurts. We do everything we can to see emergency patients the same day — when you arrive, we’ll take a focused X-ray, get you comfortable, and explain exactly what’s going on before any treatment starts. Sometimes the fix is simple, like smoothing a chip or re-cementing a crown. If the nerve is infected, treatment such as a root canal stops the pain and saves the tooth. Either way, you’ll get clear pricing before we begin, and financing options are available — cost should never keep you from getting out of pain.
How to lower your odds of the next emergency
- Wear a mouthguard for sports — most knocked-out teeth we see are sports-related
- Don’t chew ice, popcorn kernels, or hard candy
- Never use your teeth as scissors or bottle openers
- Keep up with routine checkups — most “sudden” toothaches are cavities or cracks that were quietly growing for months
Keller’s home for urgent dental care
Keller Parkway Dental is an established Keller dental practice at 359 Keller Parkway, and our two experienced dentists — Dr. Brijesh Patel (general and family dentistry) and Dr. Priyaben Patel (cosmetic dentistry) — treat everything from urgent toothaches to the crown that finishes the job, all in one office.
Dental emergency in Keller?
Call (817) 431-6995 now — we’ll help you with first aid over the phone and get you seen as soon as possible, with same-day appointments whenever the schedule allows. You can also book online or learn more about emergency dentistry at Keller Parkway Dental.