Dental emergencies after hours

Time matters. An adult tooth re-implanted within 30-60 minutes has the best chance of survival. After 2 hours the odds drop sharply.

1. Find the tooth. Pick it up by the crown (the chewing surface), never the root.
2. Rinse gently with milk or saline if dirty. Do NOT scrub. Do NOT use soap.
3. Try to put it back in the socket. Bite gently on a clean cloth or gauze to hold it in place.
4. If you can't reinsert it, put it in cold milk (or saline). Do NOT put it in water. Do NOT let it dry out.
5. Call us immediately at (713) 322-7474 and get to the office or ER as fast as possible.

Baby teeth that come out are not re-implanted, but you should still call us so we can plan a space maintainer if needed.

An abscess is a bacterial infection. It doesn't get better on its own and can spread to the jaw, neck, or airway.

1. Rinse with warm salt water (1 tsp salt in 1 cup warm water) every couple of hours.
2. Take ibuprofen if you can (400-600 mg for adults, every 6 hours). Avoid aspirin directly on the gum.
3. Use a cold compress on the outside of the face: 20 minutes on, 20 off.
4. Call (713) 322-7474 right away. If you can't reach us and the swelling is spreading or you have a fever, go to the ER.

Do NOT cut or squeeze the abscess yourself.

The pain level tells you the urgency:

• Small chip, no pain: Cover any sharp edges with sugar-free gum or dental wax. Call in the morning to book a same-week repair.
• Visible nerve (yellow or pink) or severe pain: Call (713) 322-7474 now. Cover the tooth with damp gauze. Avoid hot, cold, or sugary food.
• Tooth split below the gumline: Treat as a knocked-out tooth: same urgency, same protocol.

This is uncomfortable but usually not urgent, unless the tooth was previously root-canal-treated and the exposure is causing pain.

1. If you have the crown, save it. We may be able to re-cement it. Rinse it with water.
2. Drugstore temporary dental cement (Dentemp, Recapit) can hold the crown in place for a day or two.
3. Avoid chewing on that side until you're seen.
4. Call (713) 322-7474 in the morning to book.

Some oozing for up to 24 hours after extraction is normal. Active bleeding that soaks gauze is not.

1. Bite firmly on a folded gauze pad placed directly over the socket for 30 minutes. No peeking.
2. If it's still bleeding, try a moistened tea bag instead (tannic acid promotes clotting).
3. Stay upright (don't lie flat) and avoid spitting, straws, or rinsing.
4. If active bleeding continues past 1 hour of firm pressure, call (713) 322-7474 or go to the ER.

Dry socket happens when the blood clot at the extraction site dislodges. Pain typically starts 2-4 days after extraction and is severe, often radiating to the ear.

It's not dangerous but it's miserable. Call (713) 322-7474. We can usually see you within hours and pack the socket with medicated dressing. Relief is usually immediate.

In the meantime: warm salt-water rinses, ibuprofen, and avoid smoking or straws (which caused the clot loss in the first place).

Try floss first, gently, to dislodge. If floss doesn't work, do NOT use anything sharp (no needles, no pins). Call (713) 322-7474 in the morning.

For minor cuts, rinse with cool water and apply pressure with clean gauze for 10 minutes. Cold compress on the outside reduces swelling. Most superficial cuts heal on their own.

Call us or go to the ER if: bleeding doesn't stop after 15 minutes of pressure, the cut is deep enough to need stitches, or the bite involves trauma to teeth.