Can You Handle a Dental Emergency? Take the Quiz

Could you handle a dental emergency if it happened tonight? Most people know to call the dentist, but fewer know what to do in the minutes before they get there: how to carry a knocked-out tooth, what to do about a broken braces wire, or whether a swollen face can wait until morning. This quick quiz from the Timonium office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS tests what you know, and each answer explains what to do and why.

Keep score as you go. For the full picture of how the practice sees urgent cases, see emergency dental care in Timonium.

The dental emergency quiz

Question 1: A wire on your braces breaks and pokes your cheek. What do you do?

• a. Cut off the loose piece of wire.
• b. Cover the sharp end with orthodontic wax and call the office that placed your braces.
• c. If the wire has cut your cheek or gums, rinse with warm salt water.

Answer: b and c. Covering the end protects your cheek until the wire can be fixed; if you have no orthodontic wax, a small piece of cotton can help for a short time. Rinsing with warm salt water soothes a small cut. Cutting the wire yourself is risky, because a loose piece can be swallowed. A broken wire is uncomfortable but usually not a true emergency, so schedule a repair promptly.

Question 2: Your child falls and knocks out a permanent front tooth. What do you do before you leave the house?

• a. Scrub the tooth clean with a toothbrush.
• b. Pick it up by the crown, rinse it gently if dirty, and put it in milk.
• c. Wrap it in a dry tissue.

Answer: b. Hold the tooth by the crown, the part you chew with, and avoid touching the root. If it is dirty, rinse it gently with water without scrubbing, so any tissue attached to it stays in place. Put it in milk so it does not dry out, and call the office, or any dentist, immediately. Time is of the essence: a knocked-out tooth can be saved if you are seen quickly enough. Knocked-out teeth can be treated for patients of any age, and cuts from the injury can be stitched.

Bonus point: if it is a baby tooth, do not push it back into the socket, because that can damage the permanent tooth developing underneath. Call for advice instead. For prevention, read about sports mouthguards for kids.

Question 3: A filling falls out and the tooth starts to ache. What helps while you wait for your appointment?

• a. Keep the filling if you can and take an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed.
• b. Put an aspirin right on the tooth.
• c. Chew on that side to see how bad it is.

Answer: a. Keep the area clean, avoid chewing on that tooth and take a pain reliever as the label directs if you need one. Never put aspirin or other tablets directly against the tooth or gum, where they can irritate the tissue. When you come in, the replacement will be a tooth-colored, mercury-free filling.

Question 4: One of your teeth has slowly turned darker than the others. What could it mean?

• a. The nerve inside the tooth may be damaged.
• b. There may be an infection.
• c. It could be staining or an old filling showing through.
• d. Any of the above.

Answer: d. A tooth that darkens on its own, especially after a knock to the mouth, deserves a checkup, because a damaged or infected nerve is one possible cause. It is not usually an emergency unless it comes with pain or swelling, but do not ignore it. An infection does not always hurt, and digital X-rays can show what is happening inside the tooth. Read what a root canal actually does.

Question 5: It is Friday afternoon. Your tooth throbs and your cheek is starting to swell. What do you do?

• a. Wait and see how it feels on Monday.
• b. Call the office right away.
• c. Take leftover antibiotics and skip the dentist.

Answer: b. Pain with swelling can mean a dental abscess, and the bacteria can spread through the jaw and cause swelling that can become life threatening. Antibiotics can slow the spread, but you still need emergency dental treatment; a root canal or an extraction can resolve abscess pain. If swelling makes it hard to breathe or swallow, go to the emergency room. And next time, call early: the best time to phone about tooth pain is first thing in the morning and early in the week.

Question 6: Your jaw suddenly locks and you cannot close your mouth. Is this an emergency?

• a. Yes. Call the office.
• b. No. It will sort itself out overnight.

Answer: a. A jaw can lock open or closed after trauma or a sudden bout of acute pain. Medications and emergency NTI splints are often used for acute TMJ pain, and a locked jaw can be fixed nearly all the time. For ongoing jaw pain or headaches, see TMJ treatment.

Question 7: Your temporary crown pops off at dinner. What now?

• a. Leave it off until your next appointment, since the tooth feels fine.
• b. Put a little Fixodent inside, place it back on, and call the office during business hours.
• c. Glue it back with household super glue.

Answer: b. Fixodent is available at any pharmacy. Do not leave the temporary off, even if you have no discomfort, because without it your teeth can move and the permanent crown may not fit. Never use household glue. Learn more about dental crowns.

Question 8: The extraction site is still oozing a few hours after your tooth was removed. What do you try first?

• a. Rinse hard to wash the blood away.
• b. Bite on gauze for 30–45 minutes, and try a moist tea bag wrapped in gauze if oozing continues.
• c. Drink through a straw so you do not disturb the area.

Answer: b. A blood clot needs to form and stay in place. Tea has an ingredient that promotes clotting. For 72 hours, avoid rinsing vigorously, straws, smoking, alcohol and brushing next to the site, since all of these can dislodge the clot. If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, swelling that continues for 2–3 days or a reaction to medication, call the office immediately. See the post-op instructions.

How did you score?

• 7–8 correct: you are ready. Save the office number in your phone so you have it when it counts.
• 4–6 correct: a good start. Read what to do in the first hour of a dental emergency to fill the gaps.
• 0–3 correct: no problem, that is what the quiz is for. Start with the 5 common dental emergencies.

Emergency dentist in Timonium, MD: who is seen and when

Dr. Haywood is available anytime for true dental emergencies for existing patients and their friends and families. New patients with emergency needs can be seen on weekdays during normal business hours, based on the schedule’s availability. Call as early in the day as you can, so the practice can care for you around scheduled patients.

Office hours are Monday 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM, Tuesday 8:30 AM to 5 PM, Wednesday 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Friday 8:30 AM to 4 PM, closed on weekends.

If you have not seen a dentist recently, the standard of care calls for the necessary X-rays and a thorough exam before treatment. Dr. Haywood then explains all of your options. For a suspected broken jaw, a CT scan helps locate the fracture.

Paying for emergency care

Emergency care is paid at the time of service. The practice is out of network with all dental insurance companies, and the office files the claim on your behalf so your plan can reimburse you for what it covers. Health savings and flex plans are welcome. Financing is available through CareCredit, with no-interest options for up to 12 months, and Cherry, with payment plans from 3 to 24 months. See financing options.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a true dental emergency?

The most common are a dental abscess, a cracked tooth or filling, facial trauma such as a knocked-out tooth or broken jaw, and acute TMJ pain or a locked jaw. A simple toothache or a broken crown is usually best handled at the next available appointment, but call and the team can talk it through.

Is a broken braces wire an emergency?

Usually not. Cover the sharp end, rinse any small cut with warm salt water and book a repair with the office that placed your braces.

Should I put a knocked-out baby tooth back in?

No. Put a knocked-out permanent tooth in milk and call immediately, but do not reinsert a baby tooth. Call for advice.

Do you see new patients for emergencies?

Yes, on weekdays during normal business hours, based on availability. Call as early in the day as you can.

Save the number now

When a tooth is knocked out, every minute counts. Add (410) 453-9399 to your phone contacts today so you are not searching for it later, and request an appointment for anything less urgent. The office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS is at 108 W Timonium Rd, Ste 200, Timonium, MD 21093, serving Timonium, Towson, Pikesville and Baltimore.