1. What counts as a dental emergency?

A dental emergency is any situation involving severe or uncontrolled pain, uncontrolled bleeding, a knocked-out or broken tooth, rapidly spreading facial swelling or infection, or any dental trauma requiring immediate care to prevent serious harm. Common emergencies include: severe toothache, knocked-out tooth, cracked or broken tooth with pain, lost crown or filling causing acute discomfort, dental abscess with visible swelling, and soft tissue injuries with persistent bleeding.

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2. Can I go to the ER for tooth pain in Markham?

For most dental pain situations, a same-day emergency dentist is the correct first call Ontario hospital emergency rooms generally do not perform dental procedures and cannot treat the underlying cause. Go to the ER (Markham Stouffville Hospital, 381 Church Street, 905-472-7000) only if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, rapidly spreading facial or neck swelling, a suspected broken jaw, or a fever above 38.3°C alongside dental pain. For all other dental emergencies, call Hwy7 at (905) 604-1995.

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3. What do I do if a tooth gets knocked out?

Act within 30 minutes. Pick up the tooth by the crown only never touch the root. Rinse gently under cool water for 10 seconds maximum, no scrubbing. Try to reinsert it into the socket and bite gently on gauze. If reinsertion isn't possible, store it in cold whole milk not water, which destroys the cells needed for reattachment. Call us immediately at (905) 604-1995 and come directly in. Important: do NOT attempt to reinsert a knocked-out baby (primary) tooth — bring it in milk for assessment only.

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4. What is the fastest way to stop a toothache temporarily?

While waiting for your emergency appointment: take ibuprofen 400 mg and alternate with acetaminophen 500 mg every 3 hours (check with a pharmacist if you have medical conditions); apply a cold compress externally to the cheek 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off; sleep with your head elevated to reduce blood pressure to the area; rinse with warm salt water; apply clove oil (eugenol) from a pharmacy directly to the tooth for temporary numbing. Never apply heat, and never place aspirin directly against the gum.

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5. Does Hwy7 Family Dentistry have after-hours emergency care?

Hwy7 Family Dentistry offers extended Thursday evening hours until 9 PM and Saturday appointments from 9 AM to 4 PM covering many after-hours emergencies that occur when standard practices are closed. For emergencies outside these hours, we recommend calling Health811 (dial 811) for free 24/7 nurse triage, or contacting Emergency Dental Office at (289) 302-6864 (open until 10 PM weekdays). For life-threatening situations, go directly to Markham Stouffville Hospital ER at 381 Church Street.