Toothache & Dental Emergencies — What To Do Right Now

Practical first steps for the most common dental emergencies, the home remedies that actively cause harm, and the warning signs that mean you should go to hospital rather than wait.

Severe toothache

• Take the painkiller you would normally take, at the normal dose, on time rather than waiting for the pain to peak
• Keep your head elevated, including when sleeping — lying flat increases pressure and pain
• Rinse gently with warm salt water
• Avoid very hot, very cold and very sweet food and drink
• Do not put aspirin directly on the gum — it burns the tissue and does nothing for the tooth
• Do not apply heat to the outside of the face if there is any swelling

Painkillers manage the symptom. They do not treat the cause, and a nerve infection does not resolve on its own. If the pain is severe enough that you are searching for advice at night, book an appointment for the next day.

Facial swelling

Swelling means the infection has spread beyond the tooth. This needs to be seen the same day. Note the warning signs in the box above — if any apply, go to hospital instead. Antibiotics bought without a prescription are a common shortcut here and a poor one: they may briefly reduce the swelling while the underlying tooth continues to deteriorate, and repeated courses drive resistance.

A knocked-out adult tooth

1. Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown — the white part. Never touch the root.
2. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or the patient's own saliva. Do not scrub it and do not use tap water for more than a second.
3. If you can, put it straight back into the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it.
4. If you cannot, keep it in a cup of milk. Milk is far better than water.
5. Get to a dentist within the hour. Time is the single biggest factor in whether the tooth survives.

A knocked-out baby tooth is different — do not put it back, as that can damage the developing adult tooth underneath. Have the child seen, but the tooth itself is not replanted.

Broken tooth or lost filling

• Keep the area clean and chew on the other side
• Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax if it is cutting your tongue
• Do not use household glue on a broken tooth or crown under any circumstances
• Save the fragment or the crown and bring it with you
• Book within a few days — an exposed tooth deteriorates quickly

Bleeding after an extraction

1. Roll clean gauze or a clean cloth into a firm pad, place it directly over the socket, and bite down hard for 20 minutes without checking it.
2. Sit upright. Do not lie down.
3. Do not rinse, spit or use a straw — this is what dislodges the clot.
4. If it is still bleeding heavily after two full 20-minute attempts, contact the clinic or go to hospital.

Home remedies that make things worse

• Aspirin held against the gum — causes a chemical burn
• Clove oil applied neat and repeatedly — irritates the tissue; a small amount on cotton is the limit
• Heat packs on a swollen face — encourages the infection to spread
• Leftover antibiotics from a previous illness, or a course bought over the counter without examination
• Trying to lance a gum abscess yourself

Emergency dental care in Mirpur

The Dental Lounge is at Fazal Chowk in New Mirpur City and is open 10am to 9pm, seven days a week, with slots kept free each day for acute pain and swelling. Call ahead so we know you are coming, particularly if you are travelling in from Dadyal, Bhimber or Kotli.