If you have a dental emergency in Southampton, PA, call Hampton Family Dental now at (215) 357-2224 — we reserve time every day for same-day emergencies. While you wait: rinse with warm salt water, hold a cold compress to your cheek, and take ibuprofen or acetaminophen as directed. If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that won't stop, call 911 or go to the emergency room.
The short version
- Call your dentist first for most dental emergencies — that's faster than the ER.
- Knocked-out tooth? Keep it moist in milk and call within the hour — time matters.
- A warm salt-water rinse, a cold compress, and OTC pain relief can safely hold you over.
- Never put aspirin directly on the gum or tooth — it can burn the tissue.
- Call 911 for trouble breathing or swallowing, spreading swelling, or uncontrolled bleeding.
First: is this a dental emergency?
A mild ache can usually wait for a regular appointment, but severe or worsening pain, swelling, fever, or a knocked-out tooth should be seen right away. According to the American Dental Association, a good rule of thumb is simple: if it hurts badly, bleeds, or moves when it shouldn't, call a dentist. The guide below can help you decide fast.
How to relieve tooth pain right now
To ease tooth pain fast while you arrange a visit, the Cleveland Clinic recommends a few safe steps:
- Rinse gently with warm salt water to clean the area and calm the tissue.
- Hold a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to bring down swelling.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever — ibuprofen or acetaminophen — as directed on the label.
- Floss gently once to remove any food trapped between teeth.
These steps ease the pain; they don't fix the cause. A toothache that lasts more than a day or two usually means something a dentist needs to treat.
What to do for a knocked-out or broken tooth
For a knocked-out tooth, act within the hour: pick it up by the crown (never the root), rinse it gently if it's dirty without scrubbing, and keep it moist in a cup of milk or tucked inside your cheek until you can be seen. Then call us. For a broken tooth, save any pieces, rinse with warm water, and use gauze if there's bleeding. Sometimes a badly damaged tooth can't be saved, but calling quickly gives the best chance of keeping it.
When to skip the dentist and call 911
Get seen today in Southampton
You don't have to wait in pain. Emergency dental care at Hampton Family Dental means same-day appointments with Dr. Brenner, who has handled Southampton dental emergencies for more than 20 years — same team, same trusted care. New patients can start with our $59 emergency exam offer (a focused exam plus any necessary X-rays). Just call and tell us what's happening.
In pain right now? Call (215) 357-2224 to book a same-day emergency visit, or request an appointment online and tell us what's happening.
In pain now? We keep time open every day.
Call and tell us what's happening — we reserve room in the schedule for same-day emergencies.