Emergency Dentist in Kitchener

What counts as a dental emergency?

If something in your mouth is painful, bleeding, broken or swollen, it’s worth a call. Some problems need a dentist within hours. Others can wait a day or two once the pain is under control. These are the ones we see most often:

• Toothache that keeps you up at night, throbs when you lie down, or flares with hot or cold drinks
• Swelling in the gum, cheek or jaw, often with a bad taste or a pimple on the gum, which can point to an abscess
• A knocked out tooth or a tooth that has been pushed out of place after a fall, a hockey puck or a car accident
• A broken, cracked or chipped tooth, especially one with a sharp edge or pain when you bite
• A lost filling or crown, or a temporary crown that has come off
• Bleeding from the gums or from a cut on the lip, tongue or cheek
• Something stuck between your teeth or under the gum that floss won’t shift
• A broken braces wire poking your cheek, or a broken denture or partial
• Pain after recent dental work, such as an extraction or a root canal that isn’t settling

You can see every treatment we provide on our emergency dental services page. If your problem isn’t urgent but you’d still like it looked at soon, such as a small chip with no pain or a cleaning you’ve put off, our same day dental appointments page explains how to book a routine visit at short notice.

What to do before you get here

A few minutes of the right first aid can make a real difference, particularly with a knocked out tooth. Here’s what we suggest while you’re on your way to us.

In pain right now? Call us at 519-893-9494 and tell us what happened. We’ll talk you through what to do until you arrive.

Knocked out adult tooth

Pick it up by the crown (the white part you chew with), not the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or water without scrubbing. If you can, gently push it back into the socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it there. If that isn’t possible, keep it in a small container of milk or tucked inside your cheek, and come in right away. The sooner a tooth goes back in, the better its chances. Don’t try to put a baby tooth back in; just bring your child in so we can check the area.

Toothache or swelling

Rinse with warm salt water and hold a cold compress against your cheek for 15 minutes at a time. A pain reliever you normally take safely can help when used as the package directs. Never put an aspirin directly on the gum beside the tooth. It doesn’t work that way and it can burn the tissue.

Broken tooth, lost filling or loose crown

Save any pieces and bring them with you. Chew on the other side and stay away from very hot, cold or sticky food. If a crown comes off, keep it in a bag and don’t glue it back on with household products. A bit of sugarless gum or dental wax from the drugstore can cover a sharp edge until we see you. Our pages on broken tooth and denture repair and replacing lost fillings and crowns explain the usual fixes.

Bleeding or a cut in the mouth

Press a clean, damp gauze or tea bag firmly on the spot for 15 to 20 minutes without lifting it to check. A cold compress outside the mouth helps with swelling. Cuts that are deep or gaping may need stitches for a cut inside the mouth, which we can place in the office.

Something stuck between your teeth

Try floss first, sliding it gently up and down rather than snapping it against the gum. Don’t dig with a pin, a knife tip or anything sharp. A popcorn husk or a sliver of bone trapped under the gum can cause a surprising amount of pain and swelling within a day or two, and we can usually remove the object in a few minutes.

What happens at your emergency visit

Our first job is to find out what’s causing the problem and get you comfortable. A typical emergency visit at our Kitchener office goes like this:

1. We ask about your symptoms, when they started, any medications you take and any allergies.
2. The dentist examines the area and usually takes an x-ray, since many problems (an abscess, a crack under a filling) can’t be seen from the surface.
3. We explain what we found and your options, including what can be done today and what can be scheduled later.
4. With your okay, we start treatment. That might be freezing and a filling, opening a tooth to relieve the pressure from an infection, smoothing or bonding a broken edge, recementing a crown, repairing a denture or placing stitches.

Sometimes the best plan is to relieve the pain today and finish the work at a second visit. A tooth that needs a root canal or a new crown, for example, is often started on the day and completed once the area has calmed down. We’ll always tell you why before we do it.

Why a tooth infection shouldn’t wait

An infected tooth can go quiet for a while. The pain fades, so it’s tempting to cancel the visit. Often that just means the nerve inside the tooth has died, while the infection at the root carries on. Left alone, it can spread into the jawbone and face, and a small bump on the gum can become a swollen cheek over a weekend. Treated early, the fix is usually simpler and the tooth is more likely to be saved.

Insurance, direct billing and CDCP

We bill most dental plans directly, so in most cases you won’t need to pay the full amount up front and wait for a refund. We explain fees before treatment starts, and you can ask for an estimate to send to your insurer. For anything your plan doesn’t cover, we accept credit cards and cash.

We also see patients covered by the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Coverage under the plan depends on the treatment, and some services need approval first, so it helps to bring your CDCP information to the visit. Our Canadian Dental Care Plan in Kitchener page explains how to use it with us, and canada.ca has the current program rules.

No insurance? You’re still welcome. Once the dentist has looked at the tooth, we’ll explain the fees for each option before any treatment begins, so you can choose what fits what you need right now.

Dental emergencies in children

We see children on a case by case basis, so please call first. Bike falls and playground bumps are common, so stay calm, check whether the tooth is a baby tooth or an adult tooth, and call us. Bring any broken pieces. Baby teeth that get knocked out aren’t put back in, but the gum and the adult tooth underneath still need a look. If your child hit their head or seems drowsy or confused, go to the hospital first.

When to go to the hospital instead

A dental office is the right place for nearly all tooth and gum problems, but a few situations need a hospital emergency department or 911 straight away:

• Swelling that is spreading toward your eye or down your neck
• Trouble breathing or swallowing
• Bleeding that won’t slow down after 20 minutes of firm pressure
• A jaw injury after a fall, sports injury or car accident, particularly if the jaw won’t close properly or there was a head injury
• High fever with facial swelling

Once the hospital has handled the urgent part, call us and we’ll take care of the teeth.

Getting to our south east Kitchener office

Fairway Dental is at 385 Fairway Rd S, Unit 203, in south east Kitchener. It’s an easy trip from Fairview Park, Hidden Valley and Pioneer Park, and from Cambridge, which is a short drive up Highway 8. Coming from Cambridge? Call before you leave so we’re ready for you.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my toothache is an emergency?

Pain that wakes you up, lasts more than a day or two, or comes with swelling, fever or a bad taste needs to be seen soon. A brief twinge with cold drinks usually isn’t urgent, but it’s still worth mentioning at your next visit.

Can I walk in, or do I need to call first?

Walk-ins are welcome. Calling ahead is still a good idea, because it lets us plan for your visit and tell you the quickest time to come.

Do I have to be a patient of the clinic already?

No. You don’t need to be an existing patient. If you don’t have a regular dentist, or yours can’t fit you in, we can help. Just bring your insurance details and a list of medications.

Will the dentist pull my tooth?

Not unless it’s the best option for you. We try to save natural teeth wherever we can, and we’ll explain the choices, such as a filling, crown or root canal, before anything is done.

Call or book today

A tooth problem rarely gets better on its own, and a small crack or infection is usually easier to fix today than next week. If you’re in pain, have a broken or knocked out tooth, or see swelling, call us at 519-893-9494 or walk in to 385 Fairway Rd S, Unit 203, Kitchener. For anything that can wait a little, you can book your visit with us instead.

Related treatments

• Emergency dental services
• Root canal treatment
• Broken tooth and denture repair
• Emergency dental exams

Questions or ready to book? Contact our Kitchener office or call 519-893-9494.