Dental emergencies can have many causes, including accidents, sports-related injuries, tooth decay and infection. You may have a dental emergency if you have any of the following:
- a traumatic injury to your mouth, jaw or teeth
- severe pain that you cannot control with over-the-counter pain medication
- uncontrolled bleeding
- severe swelling in your mouth, face or neck
NOTE: If you have trouble breathing or your mouth continuously fills with blood, call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department. Also seek an immediate medical assessment if you suffer a head trauma.