If you are experiencing a dental emergency please contact our office immediately for advice on how to proceed. Call (919) 551-8847

Dental emergencies can arise at any time as the result of trauma or an infection. Tarheel Family Dentistry offers convenient, compassionate care for your dental emergency and makes every effort to see patients the same day when necessary.

Tips for Dental Emergencies

We always recommend contacting our office in the event of an emergency of any kind involving your dental health, but here are a few tips for managing common problems at home. Never place an aspirin or another type of pain reliever directly on the surface of the teeth or the gums.

• Chipped or cracked tooth: gently rinse the area with warm water and if a large portion of the tooth is damaged, try to salvage the piece and contact our office immediately for a possible same day appointment. A cold compress on the outside of the mouth can minimize pain and swelling.
• Tooth pain: sudden or throbbing tooth pain can indicate a range of potential concerns and should be evaluated by one of our dentists. Rinsing with warm water and taking an over the counter pain reliever can reduce your discomfort while at home.
• Knocked out tooth: try to locate the lost tooth and pick up gently by the crown. Place the tooth in a container of warm milk or hold between the cheeks and the gums until you can be seen in our office.
• Broken dental crown, bridge or denture: a broken crown, if mostly intact, can be held in place temporarily by over the counter dental cement until you can be seen. A broken or slipping bridge or denture should be addressed by our office as soon as possible to minimize irritation of the gums.