10 Signs You Need Emergency Dental Care Immediately

By Dr. Jane Collins | July 14, 2025

Dental emergencies rarely happen at convenient times. It's often late at night or over the weekend when you feel that sharp pain or suffer an injury. The dilemma is always the same: 'Can this wait until morning, or do I need to find an emergency dentist now?'

Waiting too long can mean the difference between saving a tooth and losing it. It can also allow an infection to spread to other parts of your body. Here are 10 clear signs that you should not wait.

1. A Knocked-Out Tooth

This is the ultimate dental emergency. If a permanent tooth is knocked out, you have a very small window (typically 30-60 minutes) to re-implant it successfully. Keep it moist and get to a dentist immediately.

2. Severe, Unrelenting Pain

Pain is your body's alarm system. If you have severe, throbbing pain that prevents you from sleeping or functioning, and isn't relieved by over-the-counter medication, you likely have a serious infection or nerve damage.

3. Swelling in the Jaw or Neck

Swelling is a sign of serious infection (an abscess). If the swelling is affecting your jaw, neck, or face, it can be life-threatening if the infection blocks your airway. This requires immediate attention.

4. Uncontrolled Bleeding

While a little pink in the sink is common with gum disease, bleeding that won't stop after an injury or extraction is an emergency. Keep applying pressure and head to the dentist or ER.

5. A Loose Permanent Tooth

Adult teeth should never be loose. If a tooth feels wiggly due to an impact or infection, you risk losing it without immediate stabilization.

6. An Abscess (Pimple on Gums)

A painful, pimple-like bump on your gums is typically an abscess—a pocket of pus caused by infection. This will not go away on its own and can spread infection to your jawbone.

7. Numbness

If you lose feeling in your tooth or the surrounding area without having had anesthesia, it usually indicates that the infection has spread to the root of the tooth.

8. Metal Taste in Your Mouth

If you have a metal filling and suddenly taste metal, the filling may have cracked or become loose. This leaves the vulnerable inside of your tooth exposed to bacteria.

9. A Cracked or Fractured Tooth

A severe crack can expose the tooth's pulp (nerve) to air and bacteria. This is often incredibly painful and requires immediate capping or treatment to save the tooth structure.

10. Object Stuck in Teeth

If you have flossed gently and cannot remove an object stuck between your teeth, do not use sharp tools to pry it out. You can damage the gums or scratch the enamel. Let a dentist remove it safely.