Dental emergency guide.

Call a dentist the same day

Call your own dentist first — many keep emergency slots or an after-hours line.

• A permanent (adult) tooth knocked out — time matters most here; see below.
• Severe toothache, especially with swelling, fever or a bad taste in the mouth.
• A cracked or broken tooth with pain or a sharp edge.
• A tooth pushed out of position or loosened by an injury.
• A lost crown or filling that leaves pain or a sharp edge.

If an adult tooth is knocked out

• Pick it up by the top (the crown), not the root.
• If it's dirty, rinse it briefly with milk or water — don't scrub it.
• If you can, gently put it back in the socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it.
• If not, keep it moist in milk or inside the cheek (adults only — not for young children, who could swallow it).
• Get to a dentist as quickly as possible; the best chance of saving the tooth is within about an hour.
• Baby teeth should not be put back in — call the child's dentist.

While you wait

• Rinse with warm water; a cold compress on the outside of the cheek can ease swelling.
• Use over-the-counter pain relief only as the label directs. Never put aspirin directly on the gum.
• Don't try to drain swelling or cut anything yourself.

Finding urgent dental care in Boston

We don't track live appointment availability. Call ahead to confirm hours.

• Your own dentist's after-hours line, or another office in our directory marked open now.
• Dental school clinics (BU, Tufts, Harvard) — some offer urgent care visits during clinic hours.
• Community health centers — many see urgent dental patients and accept MassHealth.
• Hospital emergency rooms treat infection, swelling, bleeding and injuries, but usually can't fix the tooth itself — you'll still need a dentist afterwards.