A dental emergency is any situation that poses an immediate threat to the health of your teeth and supporting tissues. Dental emergencies are often the result of an impact to the mouth, but they can also be caused by infection.
To ensure the best possible outcome, any dental emergency should be evaluated by a professional immediately.
Some dental emergencies can be painful, while others are not. For example, a cracked tooth may not hurt, but it may lead to nerve damage in the roots. For this reason, any of the emergencies listed above need immediate attention, whether or not pain is present.
If a permanent tooth is knocked out, rinse it and put it back in the socket. If you can’t get the tooth back in the socket, put it in a container of milk, water, or saliva to keep it moist.
Do not touch the roots (handle the tooth by the crown) and don’t brush it. Contact us IMMEDIATELY for information and emergency treatment – the sooner you get to us, the more likely we can save your tooth! As a same-day dentist office in Novato, we can usually see you that afternoon if we are contacted early in the day.
If a baby tooth is knocked out, leave it out and contact us immediately for instructions.
Dental emergencies never happen at convenient times. Your child may wake up with a severe toothache at 2:00 am, or your tooth may be knocked out during a friendly weekend football game. Don’t worry! If you have a severe dental emergency outside of our regular hours, such as a significant infection, pain, trauma, or lost teeth, you can call our emergency number: 415-883-0588.
There are ways to minimize your pain until you can get urgent dental care in Novato. If you can’t get into our office immediately, here is a list of effective home remedies to make you more comfortable while you wait for care:
When you have an emergency dental visit, we will quickly assess the emergency to determine the best treatment approach. The focus is on the immediate situation rather than your entire mouth. We will also obtain a quick medical history and, if necessary, take some digital images.
To relieve your pain and help you relax, we will administer a local anesthetic and some sedation. This allows us to treat your emergency without causing you any additional pain or stress. In most situations, we can treat the problem immediately. However, if there is significant swelling or other issues that interfere with treatment, we may stabilize you, provide pain relievers and antibiotics, and have you return the following day.
Although some emergencies are due to traumatic injuries, others are the result of poor oral hygiene or lack of routine dental care. Severe cavities and infections often become emergencies because they are not caught early during regular dental visits. It is important to have regular professional teeth cleaning and dental checkups to minimize the risk of gum disease, plaque buildup, and cavities, all of which can lead to dental emergencies. Prevention is less expensive and healthier than cures!
You can, but in most cases, they do not have the proper tools to treat a dental issue and will refer you to a dentist. However, if you have severe facial trauma, uncontrolled bleeding, or difficulty breathing, always go to the ER.
Immediately. If you can see us within 30 minutes and have the tooth with you, we can save the tooth.
Yes. If it is a true emergency, we will do everything in our power to fit you in between scheduled appointments to alleviate your pain and save your teeth.
If you have a dental emergency, contact our office during business hours at Mon – Thur: 8am-5pm. After hours, we can be reached at our emergency number 415-883-0588.
©2025 S Ramteen Rafii DDS Dental Corp. Designed and Managed by ViziSites. Terms of Use. Privacy Policy. Website Accessibility.