Emergency Dental Care
In pain, bleeding or swollen right now? Phone the clinic on (416) 744-6323. We hold same day slots for urgent problems, and the front desk will tell you what time we can see you.
If swelling is affecting your breathing or your swallowing, or bleeding will not stop, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department instead. That is a hospital problem, not a dental appointment.
Open seven days a week, evenings until 9:00 pm on weekdays.
What to do first
Find your situation, do the first thing on the list, and then phone us. None of this replaces being seen. It is what to do in the minutes before you get here.
A tooth has been knocked out
Pick the tooth up by the crown, which is the part you normally see, never by the root. If it is dirty, rinse it for a few seconds in milk or cool water and do not scrub it. If you can, put it back in the socket and hold it there, or bite gently on a clean piece of gauze to keep it in place. If you cannot, keep it in a cup of milk or in your own saliva so it does not dry out. A knocked out baby tooth is not put back. Then call us.
A broken or chipped tooth
Rinse your mouth with warm water. Find any pieces you can and bring them with you, including the small ones. Hold a cold pack against the outside of your face over that area to keep the swelling down. Avoid chewing on that side. Then call us.
A filling or a crown has come out
Keep the crown if you have it and bring it in, because it can often be cleaned and put back. Do not try to fix it in place with household glue. Avoid chewing on that side, and expect the tooth underneath to be sensitive to hot, cold and air until it is covered again. Then call us.
A severe toothache
Rinse with warm water and floss gently either side of the tooth, in case something is trapped against it. A cold pack held on the outside of your face can take the edge off. Do not hold a painkilling tablet against the gum, because it burns the tissue there. Then call us.
Swelling of the face or the gum
Swelling usually means an infection, and an infection does not settle on its own. Keep your head raised, including when you sleep, and do not put heat on the outside of your face. If your breathing or your swallowing is affected, call 911 instead. Then call us, the same day.
Bleeding after an extraction
Fold a clean piece of gauze into a pad, place it over the socket, and bite firmly for twenty minutes without lifting it to look. Sit upright rather than lying flat. Do not rinse, spit or smoke, because all three disturb the clot that is trying to form. If it is still bleeding heavily after that, then call us.
Something stuck between your teeth
Try to ease it out with dental floss, sliding the floss out sideways rather than pulling it straight back up. Never use a pin, a needle or anything else sharp, because the gum tears easily and the tooth scratches. If it will not come out, then call us.
A broken or poking braces wire
If a wire is poking into your cheek, push the end flat with the rubber end of a pencil. Cover what is left with orthodontic wax, or with a small ball of clean cotton wool. Do not cut the wire off, because a loose piece is easy to swallow or to breathe in. Then call us.
The first aid notes on this page are reviewed by the dentists at Grace Dental Clinic. They are general information and not a diagnosis. If you are worried about something that is not described here, phone us and ask.
When it is a hospital, not a dentist
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if any of these apply.
- Swelling of the face, the mouth or the neck that is affecting your breathing or your swallowing.
- Bleeding that will not stop.
- An injury to the jaw or to the head after a fall, a blow or a collision.
Do not wait for a dental appointment for any of these, and do not wait to see whether it settles. Go, and tell us afterwards so we can pick up the dental side.
During our opening hours
Phone the front desk. They ask a few questions to work out how urgently to fit you in, then tell you what time we can see you.
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
- Saturday: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
- Sunday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Hours can change on Ontario statutory holidays. Call ahead if you are not sure.
Call (416) 744-6323Outside our opening hours
We are not a twenty four hour clinic. Our hours are on the contact page.
If your situation is on the hospital list above, go to an emergency department now. If it is not, follow the steps for your situation on this page and call us as soon as we open.
You can send a booking request at any hour of the night, so it is sitting with the front desk when the day starts.
Send a booking requestWhat we treat as an emergency
If you are in pain, if a tooth has broken, or if something has been knocked out, call us. We hold same day slots for urgent problems, and the front desk will tell you what time we can see you.
We are open seven days a week, including Sunday. Outside those hours, the notes on this page tell you what to do, and when a problem needs a hospital emergency department rather than a dentist.
- Toothache and dental infection
- Broken, chipped or knocked out teeth
- A crown, filling or veneer that has come out
- Injuries to the gums, lips or cheeks
- A broken brace, or a denture that has cracked and is cutting
- Pain from a wisdom tooth
What actually happens at the visit
Call first
Call first. The front desk asks a few questions so we know how urgently to fit you in.
When you arrive
When you arrive we look, take an image if one is needed, and deal with the pain first.
Settling the problem
An emergency appointment is about settling the problem. The full repair is often booked as a second visit.
Before you leave
You leave knowing what was done, what to watch for, and when to come back.
If a tooth has come out
Bring a knocked out tooth with you. Keep it moist, in milk or in your own saliva, and do not scrub it.
Before treatment starts
We go through the options with you and what each one costs, and you decide what to go ahead with. In an emergency that conversation is short, but it still happens before anything is done.
Good to know
- Severe facial swelling that affects your breathing or your swallowing, or bleeding that will not stop, is a hospital matter. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
- We are not a twenty four hour clinic. Our opening hours are on the contact page, and the after hours instructions are on this one.
- A knocked out adult tooth is time sensitive. Call us while you are on your way in.
- Pain that wakes you at night, or a swelling in the gum that keeps coming back, usually means an infection that will not clear on its own. Do not wait it out.
Who this is for
Anyone in pain, including children and seniors, and patients who have never been to this clinic before.
You do not have to be an existing patient. If you have never been here before, say so when you call and the front desk will take the details we need over the phone.
Common questions
Can I be seen today?
Often yes. We hold same day slots for urgent problems. Call the clinic and the front desk will tell you what is available.
What do I do with a knocked out tooth?
Pick it up by the crown, not the root. Keep it moist in milk or saliva, do not scrub it, and call us straight away and bring it with you.
Are you open on Sundays?
Yes. We are open on Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and every other day of the week as well. The exact hours are on the contact page.
When is it a hospital emergency rather than a dental one?
Facial swelling that affects your breathing or swallowing, bleeding that will not stop, or an injury to the jaw or the head. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Get seen
Phoning is faster than anything else on this page. The front desk can triage what you describe and give you a time.
Worried about the cost of an emergency visit?
Bring your insurance card, or your program card, and tell the front desk when you call. Coverage is checked before treatment starts, and you are told plainly if something is not covered.
Insurance and programs