A toothache never checks your calendar first. Whether it is a cracked molar at Saturday breakfast or a child’s knocked-out tooth after practice, dental emergencies are frightening precisely because most of us have never been told what to do in the first hour. This guide covers the most common dental emergencies we see at Keller Parkway Dental — and the immediate steps that protect your tooth before you reach our chair.
Severe toothache or swelling
Rinse gently with warm salt water and use over-the-counter pain relief as directed. Do not place aspirin against the gum — it burns the tissue. Swelling of the face or jaw can signal an infection that needs prompt attention; call us the same day. An untreated dental infection rarely improves on its own.
Knocked-out permanent tooth
This is the truest dental emergency: the tooth has the best chance of being saved if it is re-implanted within 30–60 minutes. Pick the tooth up by the crown (the chewing surface), never the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline — do not scrub. If you can, place it gently back in the socket and bite on gauze; otherwise keep it in a cup of milk and get to a dentist immediately.
Cracked, chipped, or broken tooth
Save any fragments, rinse your mouth with warm water, and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Even if it does not hurt, a crack can expose the inner tooth to bacteria — have it evaluated within a day or two. Small chips can often be smoothed or bonded; deeper fractures may need a crown to protect the tooth long term.
Lost filling or crown
Keep the crown if you have it. Dental cement from a pharmacy can temporarily protect the tooth, but avoid chewing on that side and schedule a visit promptly — an exposed tooth is vulnerable to decay and sensitivity.
When to go to the ER instead
Go straight to the emergency room for uncontrolled bleeding, swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, or a suspected jaw fracture. Hospitals manage those situations; for everything tooth-specific, a dental office is faster and far better equipped.
What we do when you call
At Keller Parkway Dental, we reserve time for emergency patients and answer phones beyond regular office hours. When you call (817) 431-6995, describe what happened and we will tell you exactly what to do before you arrive. Dr. Brijesh Patel and Dr. Priyaben Patel handle everything from emergency exams and root canals to same-visit temporary crowns, so most urgent problems are treated in one appointment.
Prevention is still the best emergency plan
Many emergencies start as small, silent problems — a hairline crack, an old filling wearing out, early decay. Regular exams catch these before they become weekend crises. If it has been more than six months since your last visit, our new patient special (exam, x-rays, and cleaning for $179) is an easy way to get ahead of trouble before it finds you.
A simple emergency kit for your home
A few dollars of preparation makes the first hour far less stressful. Keep a small dental kit in your medicine cabinet: sterile gauze, a small container with a lid, over-the-counter dental cement, pain reliever, and our phone number saved in your contacts. Families with kids in sports should add a spare mouthguard case to the equipment bag — and if your child plays contact sports without a custom mouthguard, that is the single best emergency prevention money can buy.
Why acting fast matters more than acting perfectly
Patients often delay calling because they are unsure whether something ‘counts’ as an emergency. Here is our rule: if you are asking the question, call. A cracked tooth evaluated today is routinely a simple repair; the same tooth six weeks later may need a root canal ($899) or extraction. Early calls almost always mean simpler, less expensive treatment — and we would much rather reassure you over the phone than see a preventable problem grow.
Common questions about emergency visits
Will I be seen the same day? We hold time in our schedule for urgent cases and do everything possible to see true emergencies the day you call.
What if it happens at night or on a weekend? Our phones are answered beyond office hours. Call and describe the situation — we will guide your next steps and get you scheduled at the earliest opening.
I’m not a current patient. Can I still call? Absolutely. Many of our long-term Keller families first came to us on their worst dental day. We will never turn away someone in pain because they have not visited before.
Questions? Call Keller Parkway Dental at (817) 431-6995.