Dental emergency? Call 845-336-5855
By appointment, Tuesday to Thursday, 8 am to 5 pm. Tell us what happened and when it started, and we’ll offer the earliest time we can.
Is this a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is a problem that needs a dentist within a day or two, not at your next checkup. If you’re not sure how serious it is, call and describe what’s happening.
- Severe or worsening tooth pain
- Swelling of the gum, jaw or face
- A broken, cracked or badly chipped tooth
- A knocked-out adult tooth
- Signs of an abscess: throbbing pain, a bad taste or a pimple on the gum
- Bleeding from the mouth that won’t stop
- A lost filling or crown that hurts or leaves the tooth exposed
Go to the emergency room first if:
- swelling in your mouth, face or neck makes it hard to breathe or swallow
- you have a serious injury to your face or jaw
- bleeding won’t stop after 15 minutes of firm pressure
Call 911 if breathing is difficult. Once you’re safe, we can see you for the dental treatment.
What to do right now
Find your situation, do what it says, then call us. These steps follow American Dental Association first-aid advice. For more detail, read what to do for a toothache at home or what to do if a filling or crown falls out.
Call now: minutes matter
Knocked-out adult tooth
- Pick the tooth up by the crown, not the root.
- If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly in water without scrubbing.
- Try to put it gently back in its socket and bite on clean gauze.
- If it won’t go back, keep it in milk and come straight in.
Avoid: touching the root or letting the tooth dry out. A tooth is most likely to survive if a dentist sees it within about 30 minutes.
Call today
Severe toothache
- Rinse with warm salt water.
- Floss gently to remove anything trapped.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever as the packet directs.
- Hold a cold compress to your cheek.
Avoid: putting aspirin on the gum: it burns the tissue.
Call the same morning
Swelling or a dental abscess
- Rinse with warm salt water.
- Call us as early as you can.
Avoid: heat on the swelling. Swelling that spreads, or comes with a fever, needs urgent care.
Call today
Broken or chipped tooth
- Rinse your mouth and keep any broken pieces.
- Hold a cold compress to your cheek.
- Press gauze on any bleeding.
Avoid: chewing on that side. Most breaks can be repaired, and you can read how we repair chipped and broken teeth.
Call for the next opening
Lost filling or crown
- Keep the crown and bring it with you.
- Cover the tooth with temporary dental cement from a pharmacy.
- Chew on the other side.
Avoid: household glue, and very hot, cold or sweet food.
What happens at your emergency visit
- Tell us what happened. When you call, describe your symptoms, when they started and whether there was an injury.
- Examination and X-rays. Dr. Ibrahim Sayeed examines the tooth and takes digital X-rays, or a 3D CBCT scan when he needs to see the roots and bone.
- A clear explanation. You see what he found and the options for your tooth, so you can decide without pressure.
- Relief first. Treatment starts with easing the pain and controlling any infection, keeping your natural tooth wherever that’s possible.
Can the tooth be saved?
Most painful teeth can be saved. Dr. Sayeed will tell you honestly which of these applies to yours.
Saving the tooth
A filling or a crown repairs a broken or decayed tooth. When infection has reached the nerve, a root canal removes it and keeps the tooth in place.
When it has to come out
If a tooth is too badly broken or infected to keep, Dr. Sayeed explains why and, if you agree, carries out an emergency tooth extraction. He’ll talk you through replacing it with an implant, a bridge or a denture.
Kingston Smiles NY is at 1105 Locust Street, Kingston, NY 12401. Patients with dental emergencies come to us from Uptown and Midtown Kingston, Port Ewen, Lake Katrine, Hurley, Rosendale, Tillson, Rifton, Saugerties and across Ulster County.
Emergency dentistry questions
Still not sure? Call 845-336-5855 and describe what’s happening.
Do you take walk-ins for dental emergencies?
No. Kingston Smiles NY sees emergencies by appointment only. Call 845-336-5855 first and we’ll offer you the earliest appointment we can.
Are you open 24 hours?
No. The office is open by appointment Tuesday to Thursday, 8 am to 5 pm. If you have swelling that affects your breathing or swallowing, heavy bleeding or a serious injury when we’re closed, go to the emergency room.
How quickly can I be seen?
We keep time for urgent problems and offer the earliest appointment available. Call as early in the day as you can and describe your symptoms, so the team can judge how urgent it is.
Will insurance cover an emergency visit?
Most dental plans cover an emergency exam and X-rays, but benefits vary. We work with CSEA and Kingston Trust Fund dental plans, and you can spread the cost of treatment with CareCredit or Cherry.
Can a toothache go away on its own?
The pain can ease for a while, but the cause usually doesn’t. An infected tooth can stop hurting when the nerve dies, while the infection keeps spreading, so get any severe toothache checked.
Do you treat children’s dental emergencies?
Kingston Smiles NY mainly sees adults and teens aged 15 and over. For a younger child, call us first and we’ll help you decide where to go. For a serious injury, go to the emergency room.
