It’s easy to panic when you chip a tooth, especially if it happens suddenly while eating or during a fall. You might feel a sharp edge, notice part of your tooth missing, or even see some bleeding. While not every chipped tooth requires urgent care, some situations do need fast attention to prevent infection or further damage. What should you look for to indicate that a chipped tooth is an emergency?
When Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency?
Certain symptoms point to damage that requires fast care to prevent infection or permanent tooth loss. If the chip happened after a dental accident, it’s especially important to watch for these warning signs that you’re experiencing an emergency.
Severe Pain or Swelling
If your tooth hurts so much that it keeps you up at night, or if the area around it swells, that’s your body telling you something is wrong. The injury may reach the nerve inside your tooth or the surrounding tissue. When pain and swelling don’t improve with over-the-counter pain relievers, you need urgent dental or emergency care.
Bleeding That Won’t Stop
A little bleeding is normal when a tooth chips, but it should stop fairly quickly. If bleeding continues after you apply pressure for 15–20 minutes, you should head to the emergency room or call your dentist. Uncontrolled bleeding may mean the tooth or gums have more serious damage.
Large Chip or Exposed Pulp
When a big piece of the tooth breaks off, you may see a red or pink center. This is the pulp, and when it’s exposed, you’ll often feel intense sensitivity or throbbing pain. Sometimes the tooth even changes color. A large chip or cracked tooth can also leave a sharp edge that cuts your tongue or cheek. Because these injuries raise your risk of infection or tooth loss, they are considered an emergency.
Infection
Sometimes a chipped or broken tooth leads to infection. Signs of an infection include having pain while eating, lingering sensitivity, fever, bad breath, a sour taste, or swollen glands. A tooth that turns dark after an injury may also be bleeding on the inside or dying. These are signs you need to see a dentist or emergency provider right away.
How Long Can You Wait To Treat a Chipped Tooth?
You can often wait a few days to get your chipped tooth treated if you’re not experiencing pain, but don’t wait too long. Small chips can grow larger, trap food, and eventually cause decay or infection. It’s best to let your dentist evaluate the chip as soon as possible.
Will the ER Do Anything for a Chipped Tooth?
ER doctors can help you manage pain, bleeding, or swelling after you chip a tooth. They may prescribe antibiotics or pain relievers, and they’ll check for serious injuries. But ER doctors don’t do dental repairs like fillings, crowns, or root canals.
That means you’ll still need an emergency dentist afterward. If your symptoms are mild, you can skip the ER and call your dentist for advice. If you have uncontrollable bleeding, severe pain that doesn’t get better with medication, or facial trauma, then head to the ER right away.
What Are the Treatment Options for a Chipped Tooth?
Dentists choose treatments based on the size of the chip, its location, and whether the injury is an emergency. Common dental treatment options for a chipped or fractured tooth include:
- Polishing: Your dentist may smooth the sharp edge of very small chips and polish the surface.
- Dental Bonding: Composite resin can rebuild small to moderate chips.
- Dental Onlay: For minor damage on molars, an onlay restores the tooth’s shape and function without a full crown.
- Porcelain Veneer: Ideal for front teeth, veneers offer a durable and natural-looking solution.
- Dental Crown: Used for larger fractures, crowns protect and restore severely chipped teeth.
- Root canal: Needed if the chip exposes the pulp and causes pain or infection.
- Extraction: When the tooth is beyond repair, it may need to be removed.
Your dentist will evaluate your specific situation to recommend the most effective and comfortable treatment plan, ensuring your smile looks and feels its best.
Get Emergency Care for Your Chipped Tooth
When you’re dealing with a dental injury, you shouldn’t have to wait until Monday to get help. At Weekend Dental Emergency Care, we make relief simple with weekend hours at our Utah locations designed for your schedule. Our compassionate team serves patients across Salt Lake City, Lehi, Farmington, and nearby areas, providing professional care that puts your comfort first.
If you’re worried that your chipped tooth is an emergency, don’t wait. Book an appointment online or call 801-901-9729 to speak with our team. We’re here to make your dental care more accessible and stress-free.
