Key Takeaways

• A dental emergency is any mouth problem that needs prompt care to stop severe pain, control bleeding, save a tooth, or halt a spreading infection.
• A knocked-out permanent tooth has its best chance of survival when treated within 30 minutes, so speed matters more than anything else you do.
• Handle a knocked-out tooth by the crown only, keep it moist in milk or saliva, and never scrub the root.
• A dental abscess will not heal on its own, and sudden relief from a burst abscess is a warning sign, not a sign of recovery.
• An emergency room can manage pain and infection, but it usually cannot repair or replant a tooth, so a dentist is the right call for most dental emergencies.
• Island Tower Dentistry provides same-day emergency dental care on Marco Island, led by Dr. Jonathan Van Dyke’s advanced training.