Broken Tooth? Do This First

A broken tooth has perfect timing: it happens on a weekend, during dinner, right before something important. Here's exactly what to do in the first hour, what can wait until tomorrow, and when you should be calling an emergency dentist immediately.

First: rinse, assess, save the pieces

• Rinse your mouth gently with warm water.
• If there's bleeding, apply gentle pressure with clean gauze for 10–15 minutes.
• Save any broken pieces in milk or saliva. Sometimes they can be bonded back.
• Cold compress on the outside of your cheek for swelling.

Knocked out completely? That's a race against the clock

A fully knocked-out adult tooth can sometimes be saved, but the window is roughly 30 to 60 minutes. Pick it up by the crown (not the root), rinse it briefly without scrubbing, and either place it back in the socket or keep it in milk. Then call a dentist immediately. This is the one dental emergency where minutes genuinely matter.

What can wait until tomorrow

A small chip with no pain, a lost filling that isn't hurting, or mild sensitivity can usually wait for a next-day appointment. Cover any sharp edge with dental wax from the pharmacy and avoid chewing on that side.

Call immediately if you have any of these

• Severe pain that over-the-counter medication doesn't touch
• Swelling in your face or jaw, especially with fever
• A tooth knocked out or visibly displaced
• Bleeding that won't stop

Facial swelling with fever can indicate a spreading infection, which is a medical emergency. If you can't reach a dentist and swelling is affecting your breathing or swallowing, go to the ER.

The bigger lesson: teeth that break usually gave warnings first, like a crack, sensitivity, or an old large filling. Regular exams catch those before they become a Saturday-night emergency.

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