Dental problems have an unhelpful habit of starting on a Friday evening. Most can be managed safely overnight, and knowing which cannot is the difference between a sensible wait and a dangerous one. Some dental problems cannot wait until morning, such as heavy bleeding, a spreading swelling or severe pain after an injury, and knowing when to call the office line, when to go to an emergency room and what to do in the meantime helps you act calmly and get the right kind of care.
Symptoms that bring people in urgently: after-hours dental problems
- Toothache that begins in the evening or overnight
- A restoration lost over a weekend
- Swelling that appears after hours
- A dental injury outside working hours
- Deciding whether to wait until morning
What the dentist may need to do
- Requesting an appointment for the next working day
- Emergency room care for airway, bleeding or spreading swelling
- Managing pain safely overnight as directed on the packet
- Keeping a lost crown or broken fragment to bring in
- Understanding that this form is not monitored continuously
Ask for an urgent appointment
Select urgent.
What the ADA advises until a dentist can see you
For a knocked-out permanent tooth, the ADA's MouthHealthy guidance is to keep it moist at all times. If you can, put it back in the socket without touching the root; if not, hold it between the cheek and gum, in milk, or in a tooth-preservation product with the ADA Seal of Acceptance, and get to a dentist right away.
For a cracked tooth, rinse with warm water and put a cold compress on the face to keep swelling down. For a toothache, rinse with warm water and use floss gently to remove anything caught between the teeth; do not put aspirin on the tooth or gum. For an object stuck in the mouth, try floss, and never a sharp or pointed instrument.
Most dentists reserve time each day for emergency patients, so call as early as you can and describe the problem in detail. The ADA says to visit a dentist or an emergency room as soon as possible in a dental emergency.
Common questions
After-Hours Dental Problems: questions people ask
What can safely wait until morning?
Most toothache without swelling, a lost filling or crown, a chipped tooth that is not painful, and a broken denture. Manage pain as directed on the packet and request an appointment.
What cannot wait?
Trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading toward the eye or neck, uncontrolled bleeding, or serious facial injury. Those mean an emergency room or 911 now.
Is a knocked-out adult tooth an overnight problem?
No: that is time-critical and needs immediate contact with a dental practice, whatever the hour. See knocked-out tooth.
Will submitting this form get me seen tonight?
No. This form is not monitored continuously and cannot guarantee availability. Use it for the next working day and use emergency services for anything dangerous.
What should I do about a dental problem that starts overnight?
Describe the symptoms as you experience them. You do not need to self-diagnose. Manage pain safely as directed on the packet. Keep a lost crown or broken fragment to bring in. Request an appointment for the next working day. Emergency room care is for airway, bleeding or spreading swelling. This form is not monitored continuously.
Which after-hours symptoms bring people in?
A toothache that begins in the evening or overnight. A restoration lost over a weekend. Swelling that appears after hours. A dental injury outside working hours. The decision is whether to wait until morning. Trouble breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, serious facial injury or swelling toward the eye or neck means 911 or an emergency room.