Dental Emergency in Fort Worth? Call Us — Most Cases Seen Same Day
Dental emergencies happen at the worst times. A tooth knocked out at a weekend soccer game. A crown that falls off the night before an important meeting. A toothache that goes from manageable to unbearable overnight.
At Miller Dental, we treat most dental emergencies the same day at our Fort Worth office. Call us as soon as something happens — waiting almost always makes it worse, and often more expensive to fix.
Below is a practical guide for handling the most common dental emergencies before you can get to our office.
Severe Toothache
Rinse your mouth thoroughly with warm water. Use dental floss to check whether anything is stuck between the teeth. If your face or jaw is swollen, apply a cold compress to the outside — never heat, and never place aspirin directly against the gum or tooth.
Do not: put aspirin or other painkillers directly on the gum — this can burn the tissue and make things worse.
Call us immediately. Severe toothache can indicate infection, a cracked tooth, or an abscess — all of which need prompt treatment.
Knocked-Out Tooth
This is the most time-sensitive dental emergency. A tooth can potentially be saved if you act fast.
- Pick up the tooth by the crown (the white part) — do not touch the root
- If it’s dirty, gently rinse with water — do not scrub or remove tissue fragments
- Try to place it back in the socket. Don’t force it. If it goes back in, bite gently on a cloth to hold it
- If you can’t reinsert it, place it in a small container of milk or a cup of water with a pinch of salt
- Call us and get to our office within one hour
The faster you act, the better the chance of saving the tooth.
Chipped or Broken Tooth
Save any fragments you can find. Rinse your mouth with warm water and rinse the broken pieces too. If there’s bleeding, apply gauze with gentle pressure for about 10 minutes. Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to manage swelling.
Call our office so we can evaluate the damage and determine whether the tooth can be repaired with bonding, a crown, or another approach.
Lost Dental Crown
As a short-term measure, dental cement or sugarless gum can plug the cavity temporarily. Call us promptly — an exposed cavity won’t stay comfortable, and without protection, the tooth can decay further.
Dental Abscess
An abscess is a bacterial infection — either around the root of a tooth or in the gum tissue. Signs include a painful pimple-like swelling on the gum, throbbing pain, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
This is serious. Left untreated, the infection can spread to other parts of your body. Rinse with warm salt water (half a teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of water) several times a day to relieve discomfort and draw the infection toward the surface — but this is temporary relief, not treatment.
Call us immediately. If you have fever, significant facial swelling, or difficulty swallowing or breathing, go to an emergency room.
Bleeding After a Baby Tooth Falls Out
Place a clean folded piece of gauze over the socket and have the child bite down on it for 15 minutes. Repeat if bleeding continues. If bleeding doesn’t stop after 30 minutes, call us.
When to Call 911 or Go to the ER
Go to the emergency room or call 911 if you have:
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Significant facial swelling that is spreading
- High fever combined with dental pain
- Uncontrolled bleeding that doesn’t stop
Call Miller Dental for Same-Day Emergency Care
Fort Worth: (817) 413-6000
Arlington: (817) 466-1500
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How quickly can you see me for a dental emergency?
For our Fort Worth office, most emergencies are treated the same day you call. Call us as early in the day as possible to maximize the chance of a same-day appointment.
2. What counts as a dental emergency?
Severe toothache, knocked-out or broken tooth, lost crown or filling, abscess, facial swelling, or uncontrolled bleeding. When in doubt, call us — we’ll help you assess the urgency.
3. What if my emergency happens outside office hours?
Leave a message and we’ll return your call first thing. For life-threatening situations — difficulty breathing, spreading facial swelling — go to the ER.
4. Is emergency dental care expensive?
It depends on what’s needed. We’ll give you a clear cost estimate before proceeding, and we’ll check your insurance coverage. Delaying treatment almost always makes the eventual cost higher.
