Call us first: (713) 668-8383
Call before you drive over. A short phone conversation lets us tell you what to do in the next few minutes, which sometimes matters more than how fast you arrive. It also lets us look at the day and find you a spot. We hold time for urgent problems and we make every effort to see people the same day, though we will not promise a slot we might not have.
Our hours are Monday and Tuesday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. You can text the same number. If you are calling outside our hours, leave a message and follow the guidance below in the meantime. Our team speaks English, Spanish, Russian, and Hebrew, so you can explain what happened in the language that comes easiest under stress.
Go to an emergency room or call 911 if
Some situations are beyond what a dental office can safely handle. Do not wait for a dental appointment if any of the following apply:
- Bleeding that will not stop after 15 minutes of firm, steady pressure
- Difficulty breathing or difficulty swallowing
- Swelling that is spreading toward the eye or down into the neck, or that comes with fever and feeling generally unwell
- A suspected broken or dislocated jaw, or a jaw that will not open or close
- A head injury, loss of consciousness, confusion, or vomiting after facial trauma
- Deep cuts to the lip, tongue, or face that may need stitches
Toothaches and infected teeth
A tooth that aches, throbs at night, or reacts sharply to heat often has a problem deep inside it, and the only way to know is to look. We examine the tooth, take an x-ray, and tell you plainly what is going on and what your options are.
Where treatment is needed, Dr. Valter handles what can be treated in our office and coordinates directly with trusted local specialists when a specialist will get you a better result. Either way, the first job is the same: relieve the pain and stop the problem from getting worse.
Knocked-out adult tooth: the first hour counts
- Pick it up by the crown. Hold the chewing part of the tooth. Do not touch the root surface, and do not scrub, dry, or wrap the tooth in tissue.
- Rinse gently if it is dirty. A quick rinse in milk or saline. Never use soap, and do not scrub away anything attached to the root.
- Put it back if you can. Ease the tooth into the socket in its original orientation and bite softly on clean gauze to hold it there. This gives the tooth its best chance.
- If not, keep it wet. Place it in milk, in a tooth preservation solution, or held inside the cheek if the person is old enough not to swallow it. Water is a last resort because it damages the root cells.
- Call us immediately. Reach us at (713) 668-8383 and head over. Time out of the socket is the single biggest factor in whether a tooth can be saved, and no outcome can be guaranteed.
- Baby teeth are different. Do not reimplant a knocked-out baby tooth, since that can harm the developing adult tooth underneath. Call us and we will advise you.
First aid for other common emergencies
- Cracked or broken tooth: rinse with warm water, save any pieces in milk or water, and hold a cold compress against your cheek for swelling. Avoid chewing on that side and call us.
- Lost filling or crown: keep the crown if you have it and bring it in. A dab of over-the-counter temporary dental cement can protect the tooth. Never use superglue or household adhesives.
- Toothache: rinse with warm salt water and floss gently around the tooth in case food is trapped. Over-the-counter pain relievers taken as directed on the label can help. Do not place aspirin directly on the gum, since it burns the tissue.
- Abscess (a painful, pimple-like bump on the gum, bad taste, or facial swelling): this is an infection and it needs prompt care. Rinse with mild salt water and call us. Do not try to pop or drain it yourself.
- Facial swelling: cold compress on the outside, 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off, and call us right away. If the swelling spreads or you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to an emergency room.
- Soft tissue bleeding from the lip, tongue, or gum: rinse gently, then press with clean gauze for 10 to 15 minutes without peeking. A cold compress helps. Persistent bleeding means an emergency room.
- Something stuck between teeth: try dental floss carefully. Never use a pin, a knife, or anything metal, which can cut the gum or damage the tooth.
- Broken braces wire: cover the sharp end with orthodontic wax and call your orthodontist. Do not cut the wire, since a loose piece can be swallowed or inhaled.
What happens when you get here
The first priority is finding out what is actually wrong and getting you out of pain. That usually means a focused exam, an x-ray of the area, and a clear explanation of your options before anything is done. Sometimes the fix is definitive in one visit. Sometimes we stabilize the problem, relieve the pressure or pain, and schedule the full repair once you are comfortable.
Anxiety runs high in an emergency, and that is completely reasonable. Nitrous oxide sedation is available if you want it. Tell us on the phone, and tell us if you are pregnant, taking blood thinners, have a heart condition, or take medications for bone health, since those details change how we approach treatment.
Common questions
Do you see emergency patients the same day?
We make every effort to, and we keep room in the schedule for urgent problems, but we cannot guarantee a same-day appointment. Call or text (713) 668-8383 as early in the day as you can. If we cannot fit you in safely, we will tell you honestly and help you figure out where to go.
I am not a patient here. Can I still be seen?
Yes. We see new patients for emergencies. Have your medical history and a list of your medications ready when you call, and bring your insurance information if you have it.
Do you do root canals?
Call us at (713) 668-8383 and describe the tooth; whether a root canal or another treatment is the right answer depends on what the exam and x-ray show. Dr. Valter examines the tooth, explains your options honestly, treats what is best treated here, and refers you to a trusted endodontist when that gives you a better outcome.
Should I go to the emergency room for a toothache?
Usually not, unless there are warning signs. A hospital emergency room can manage pain and infection but is generally not equipped to treat the tooth itself, so the underlying problem remains. Go to an emergency room immediately for difficulty breathing or swallowing, spreading swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, or facial trauma.
My tooth stopped hurting on its own. Am I fine?
Not necessarily, and this one deserves attention. Pain that disappears suddenly can mean the nerve inside the tooth has died, while the infection continues quietly. Please still get it looked at.
Can a knocked-out tooth be saved?
Sometimes, and speed is the deciding factor. A tooth reimplanted quickly and kept moist in the meantime has the best chance, which is why the steps above matter so much. No dentist can promise a knocked-out tooth will survive, but acting within the first hour meaningfully improves the odds.
How can I avoid a dental emergency?
Many emergencies we see are the end of a slow story: a small cavity that grew, a cracked filling that was postponed, gum disease left untreated. Keeping regular exams, wearing a mouthguard for sports, wearing a night guard if you grind, and not using your teeth to open packaging prevent a real share of them.
