Reviewed 3 September 2026

Dental emergency first aid — print it, keep it on the fridge

A dental emergency is decided in its first few minutes, usually by someone who is not a dentist. Print this page and keep it where a parent, a teacher or a colleague can reach it. Schools, workplaces and residents' associations are welcome to reproduce it with attribution.

Call us first if you are unsure. Describe what happened and we will tell you whether to come in now or in the morning. Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling spreading to the eye or neck, is an emergency — come at once.

+91 93144 03502

Knocked-out permanent (adult) tooth

Minutes matter — the sooner it is back in the socket, the better the chance of saving it

Do this

· Pick the tooth up by the crown (the chewing part), never the root.
· If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline — or the patient's own saliva.
· If you can, place it straight back into the socket the right way round and hold it gently in place by biting on a clean cloth.
· If replanting is not possible, store it in cold milk (not water) and reach a dentist immediately.
· Call us on the way so the operatory and the surgeon are ready when you arrive.

Avoid

· Do not scrub the root or remove tissue attached to it.
· Do not store the tooth dry, in tissue paper, or in tap water for long periods.
· Do not replant a knocked-out baby tooth — it can damage the developing permanent tooth underneath.

Broken, chipped or cracked tooth

Same day

Do this

· Rinse the mouth with warm water and keep any broken fragment in milk or saline.
· Use a cold compress on the outside of the cheek for swelling.
· Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax until you are seen.

Avoid

· Do not chew on that side.
· Do not place aspirin directly on the gum — it burns the tissue.

Facial swelling with a dental infection

Urgent — the same day, and immediately if breathing or swallowing is affected

Do this

· Treat swelling that spreads to the eye, the floor of the mouth, or the neck as an emergency and come in at once.
· Bring a list of your current medicines and any known drug allergies.
· Keep taking prescribed medication as instructed until you are seen.

Avoid

· Do not apply heat to a spreading swelling.
· Do not start or repeat leftover antibiotics on your own.
· Do not wait for the pain to settle — a swelling can settle while the infection spreads.

Severe toothache

Same day where pain is keeping you awake

Do this

· Rinse gently with warm salt water and clean between the teeth to remove trapped food.
· Take the painkiller you normally tolerate, at the labelled dose.
· Note what triggers it — heat, cold, biting — and tell the dentist; it changes the diagnosis.

Avoid

· Do not place clove oil or aspirin directly on the gum.
· Do not delay if pain comes with swelling or fever.

Bleeding after an extraction

Do this

· Roll clean gauze, place it over the socket and bite firmly for a full 30 minutes without checking.
· Sit upright and keep your head above heart level.
· Call us if bleeding continues or restarts heavily.

Avoid

· Do not rinse, spit forcefully, smoke or use a straw — all of these dislodge the clot.
· Do not keep changing the gauze every few minutes.

Broken braces wire or denture

Next working day, unless it is cutting the tissue

Do this

· Tuck a poking wire down with the blunt end of a pencil, or cover it with orthodontic wax.
· Keep every piece of a fractured denture and bring them all in.

Avoid

· Do not cut a wire yourself unless it risks being swallowed.
· Do not glue a denture with household adhesive.

Sources and further reading

1.Dental trauma guidelines (avulsion, luxation and fracture management) — International Association of Dental Traumatology
2.Toothache and dental abscess — when to seek urgent care — NHS (UK)
3.Oral health fact sheet — World Health Organization
4.Dentist registration and regulation in India — Dental Council of India

This card is general first-aid guidance, not a diagnosis, and it does not replace being seen. Schools, workplaces, unions and residents' associations may print and distribute it freely with attribution to Dr. Amit Sharma Super Speciality Dental Hospital, Jaipur, and a link to this page. Reviewed by the hospital's oral and maxillofacial team; last reviewed 3 September 2026.

Emergency dental care in Jaipur Start from a symptom

Ready to plan your treatment?

Call the helpline or book a consultation — we respond the same working day.

Book Appointment 93144 03502