Call (403) 454-4757. We hold time in the schedule every day for emergencies and we see both existing and new patients. You do not need to be a patient here already, and you do not need a referral.

We open at 7:00 am Wednesday through Saturday and stay open until 8:30 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so we are often open when other clinics are not. If you call while we are open, we will get you assessed the same day.

Some dental problems are medical emergencies. Go to an emergency department or call 911, do not wait for a dental appointment, if you have any of the following:

• Swelling that is spreading toward your eye or down into your neck
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Fever together with facial swelling
• Bleeding that will not stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure
• A blow to the head, a suspected broken jaw, or loss of consciousness

A dental infection that spreads into the tissues of the face and neck can become life-threatening. That is rare, and it is the one situation where a dentist is the wrong first call.

Call us today if you have:

• A knocked-out tooth — the fastest-moving emergency on this list, see the steps below
• Severe or throbbing toothache, particularly one that keeps you awake
• A broken, cracked, or badly chipped tooth
• Facial or gum swelling, or a lump on the gum that may be an abscess
• A lost or loose crown, filling, or bridge
• A loose adult tooth after an injury
• Bleeding that will not settle after an extraction
• Pain that started after recent dental work
• Something stuck between teeth that you cannot remove with floss

Can usually wait a few days, but book:

• A small chip with no pain
• Mild sensitivity to cold or sweet food
• A lost filling with no pain
• A broken denture or a broken orthodontic appliance

If you are not sure which you have, call and describe it. Our team will tell you honestly whether you need to come in today or whether it can wait until a normal appointment.

Preventing a dental emergency is the best way to avoid dental emergencies from occurring and is best achieved by booking an appointment with our dental team, for a comprehensive dental exam.

Your dental exam includes checking for signs of weakened teeth, loosened or ageing restorations and early signs of infection that may indicate the presence of infection and the possibility of periodontal disease.

If you participate in any type of sporting activity that could impact your oral health, we encourage our patients, regardless of their age, to wear a properly sit, custom mouth guard while playing contact sports. Research shows that a large percentage of dental injuries are related to sports. A custom mouthguard can prevent many of these injuries from occurring.

Knocked-out adult tooth

Time matters more than anything else. A tooth put back within 30 minutes has a far better chance than one put back after an hour.

1. Pick the tooth up by the crown, the chewing surface. Never touch the root.
2. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline. Do not scrub it and do not hold it under running water, which damages the cells that let it reattach.
3. Put it back in the socket straight away if you can, and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it.
4. If you cannot, store it in milk, in saline, or tucked inside your cheek. Never in plain water.
5. Call us immediately.

Do not reinsert a child’s baby tooth. Pushing it back can damage the permanent tooth developing underneath. Call us and we will advise.

Severe toothache

Rinse with warm salt water. Take over-the-counter painkillers at the dose on the packet, and take them before the pain peaks rather than after. Use a cold compress on the outside of the face. Do not put aspirin directly against the gum; it burns the tissue. Do not apply heat to a swollen area.

Broken or chipped tooth

Save any fragments and bring them with you. Rinse with warm water. Use a cold compress for swelling. If a sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek, cover it with a small piece of sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax until you are seen.

Lost crown or filling

Keep the crown. Do not glue it back with household adhesive, which can make the tooth impossible to restore properly. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy will hold it for a day or two. Keep the area clean and avoid chewing on that side.

Swelling or a dental abscess

Rinse with warm salt water and use painkillers. Do not apply heat, and do not try to burst a swelling on the gum. Call us the same day, and read the hospital section above if the swelling is spreading, you have a fever, or swallowing is becoming difficult.

Bleeding after an extraction

Bite firmly on clean gauze or a folded, damp tea bag for 20 minutes without checking it. Stay upright and avoid rinsing, spitting, smoking, or using a straw, all of which dislodge the clot. If bleeding continues past 20 minutes of firm pressure, call us.

Call Springbank Hill Dental now at (403) 454-4757. We are at 133-7460 Springbank Blvd SW, with free parking directly at the clinic.