Dental Emergency First Aid: What to Do Before You Reach the Clinic
By Dr. Arvind Sahu, MDS (Prosthodontics)
Knocked-out tooth: minutes matter
Pick the tooth up by the crown, never the root. If dirty, rinse gently for a few seconds — don't scrub. Keep it moist: back in its socket if possible, otherwise in milk or inside your cheek. Then get to a dentist immediately; reimplantation works best within the first hour.
Severe toothache
Rinse with warm salt water and use dental floss to clear anything lodged between teeth. A cold compress on the cheek helps swelling. Don't place aspirin against the gum — it burns the tissue. Pain with swelling or fever needs same-day attention.
Broken or chipped tooth
Save every fragment in milk or water. Rinse your mouth with warm water, and cover any sharp edge with sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax if it's cutting your tongue. Even painless chips deserve a check — cracks deepen.
Bleeding that won't stop
Press a clean, damp gauze on the site with firm, continuous pressure for 15 minutes without peeking. If bleeding continues beyond that, call the clinic — and keep the head elevated in the meantime.
The one rule for every emergency
Call before you travel. A quick phone call means the clinic can prepare and can talk you through the right first aid for your exact situation on the way in.
Related: Emergency Dentist in Ludhiana
