Dental Emergency 101

Cartoon of an ambulance being driven by a tooth.
Image by Authority Dental under CC 2.0

When it comes to all of life’s various surprises, a dental emergency is certainly not a welcome one. If you suddenly find yourself with an urgent dental issue on your hands, figuring out what to do next can feel pretty stressful. That’s why it always helps to be informed so that when the unexpected happens, you know exactly what to do. Here are some basics about dental emergencies.

What Counts as a Dental Emergency

You may be wondering what issues count as an emergency and which ones can wait until your routine trip to the dentist. Dental emergencies are problems that require immediate treatment to protect your health. These include severe toothaches, abscessed teeth, broken teeth or broken restorations, loose permanent teeth, knocked-out teeth, and severe cracks.

What to Do in a Dental Emergency

While there are many different types of dental emergencies, there’s one thing you should do in all cases, and that’s call a dentist as soon as possible. Getting immediate care can stop the problem from worsening, and in many cases it can help save your tooth. When you speak to us on the phone, we can also give you basic instructions for what to do until you come in to the office.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

The problem is dental emergencies can happen when you least expect them so it’s not always so simple avoiding them. One thing you can do is keep up with your regular appointments to Summit Family Dentistry twice a year. During these visits, your dentist can check to see if there are any problems cropping up and remedy them before they turn into an urgent concern. Another thing you can do is wear a mouthguard if you play contact sports to protect your teeth from dental trauma. Our office can fit the athletes in your family with comfortable, custom mouthguards that they’ll be more likely to wear than those you can buy at the drugstore.

Emergency Dentist in Littleton, CO

If you are in or around Littleton and in the middle of a dental emergency right now, don’t wait any longer to get medical care! Call Summit Family Dentistry as soon as possible so we can provide you with emergency care. If you’re not dealing with a pressing concern but simply looking for a dental home, we are happy to help there too. Our practice provides gentle dentistry for the whole family. Contact us today for an appointment.

Contact Us



Summit Family Dentistry

Summit Family Dentistry