Severe Toothache? Call Now and Get It Seen
If you have a severe toothache, call (310) 926-6825. Our phone is answered 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays. We’ll ask a few questions, tell you what to do right now, and get you scheduled with our emergency dentist. How soon you’re seen depends on how severe it is. If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to a hospital emergency room instead.
What to do for tooth pain right now
These steps won’t fix the cause, but they can take the edge off until you’re seen:
- Rinse with warm water to clean the area.
- Floss gently around the sore tooth. Food stuck between teeth can cause or worsen pain.
- Use a pain reliever you can buy without a prescription, following the label. Swallow it. Don’t hold aspirin or any painkiller against the gum, because it can burn the tissue.
- If the pain started after an injury, hold a cold compress on the outside of your cheek.
- Be careful with numbing gels. Products containing benzocaine have been linked to a rare but serious blood condition. Talk to a dentist or doctor before using one, and never use them on a child under 2.
Then call us. A severe toothache almost always needs treatment from a dentist, and the steps above only buy time.
When a toothache means the ER, not the dentist
Go to a hospital emergency room, or call 911, if your tooth pain comes with any of these:
- Trouble breathing or swallowing. This can mean an infection has spread into your throat or neck.
- Fever and swelling in your face, and you can’t reach a dentist.
- Jaw pain together with chest pain, shortness of breath, or pain spreading down your arm. Pain in the jaw or teeth can be a sign of a heart attack. Call 911.
For everything else, call us first. We’ll tell you honestly whether it’s something for us or for the hospital.
Is my toothache an emergency?
A toothache is worth a call today if:
- The pain is severe
- It has lasted more than a day or two
- You have a fever, an earache, or pain when you open your mouth wide
- You see swelling, have red gums, notice a bad taste or discharge, or it hurts to bite down
Those are the signs that the problem is more than food caught between your teeth. Pain that improves for a few hours and then comes back still counts. The cause hasn’t gone away.
What usually causes a severe toothache
Tooth decay is the most common cause of toothaches in both children and adults. It’s also common to have it without knowing: about 1 in 5 adults aged 20 to 64 has at least one untreated cavity, according to the CDC. Other causes include:
- An infection at the root of the tooth or in the gums
- A crack or chip in the tooth, sometimes one you can’t see
- A filling that has split or worn down over time
- Grinding your teeth
- Wisdom teeth that don’t have room to come in
- A sinus infection, which can be felt as pain in the upper teeth
Sometimes the pain you feel in a tooth starts somewhere else, like an ear. Finding the real source is the first job of the visit.
What happens when you come in
Our dentist starts by finding where the pain is coming from. Expect questions like: When did it start? Does it wake you up at night? What makes it better or worse? Have you had a fever or an injury? What medicines are you taking?
Then comes an exam of your teeth, gums and mouth, usually with X-rays. Once the cause is clear, we’ll explain what we found and what we recommend before doing anything. Depending on the cause, treatment might be:
- A filling for a cavity
- A root canal for an infected or inflamed nerve
- Removing the tooth, if it can’t be saved
- Medicine such as antibiotics, if there’s an infection
How much does an emergency toothache visit cost?
It depends on what’s causing the pain. A filling, a root canal and removing a tooth are very different treatments, and our dentist won’t know which one you need until the exam. What we can tell you up front:
- Insurance: we accept PPO plans, including Aetna, Assurant, Cigna, Delta Dental, Guardian Direct, Humana and MetLife.
- Payment: cash, check, credit and debit cards, plus financing through Cherry, CareCredit and LendingClub.
- No insurance: ask about our in-office dental plan.
Cost is the most common reason people wait, and waiting usually makes the problem bigger and the treatment more expensive. Ask about cost when you call.
Why call us
Emergency care is what we do, so when you call at night, you’re talking to someone whose job is to get a person in pain to the right care. Our office is at 2511 Artesia Blvd A in Redondo Beach, with a parking lot and a wheelchair-accessible entrance.
Severe toothache questions
What should I do if my tooth pain isn't going away?
Call a dentist. A toothache that lasts more than a day or two needs to be checked, even if pain relievers take the edge off. Call us at (310) 926-6825 and we'll get you scheduled.
What can I do when tooth pain is unbearable?
Rinse with warm water, floss gently around the tooth, and take a pain reliever you can buy without a prescription, following the label. Don't put aspirin on the gum. Then call us, because severe pain usually means the tooth needs treatment. If you also have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to the ER.
Should I go to the hospital if my toothache is unbearable?
Go to the hospital if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, a fever with swelling in your face and no dentist available, or jaw pain with chest pain or shortness of breath. Otherwise, call us first. A hospital can manage pain and infection, but treating the tooth itself is a dentist's job.
Why does my toothache hurt more at night?
Pain that wakes you up is one of the things our dentist will ask about, because it helps narrow down the cause. Whatever the reason, it's a sign to get the tooth checked soon. Our phone is answered at night, so you can call (310) 926-6825 when it happens.
Can a toothache go away on its own?
The pain can ease for a while, but the cause usually stays. Decay, cracks and infections don't heal by themselves. If the pain was severe or lasted more than a day or two, have it checked even if it feels better now.
What will the dentist do for a severe toothache?
First, find the cause with an exam and usually X-rays. Treatment depends on what's found and might be a filling, a root canal, removing the tooth, or medicine for an infection. We explain the options before starting anything.
Can I use numbing gel on my tooth?
Talk to a dentist or doctor first. Gels with benzocaine have been linked to a rare but serious blood condition, and they should never be used on children under 2.
Get help with your toothache now
Call (310) 926-6825. Our phone is answered 24/7, and we’ll tell you what to do right now and get you scheduled. You can also request an appointment online.