Emergency Dentistry | Same-Day Care

Not every dental hiccup needs immediate attention, but some absolutely do. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), urgent dental care focuses on conditions that require immediate attention to relieve severe pain, address potential infection, or prevent further damage to your teeth and surrounding tissues.

If you're experiencing any of the following, give us a call right away:

• Severe, persistent toothache — especially pain that wakes you at night or radiates to your jaw, ear, or head
• A knocked-out (avulsed) permanent tooth — time matters here; we'll explain what to do below
• Cracked, chipped, or fractured tooth causing pain or sharp edges
• Lost or broken filling, crown, or bridge
• Dental abscess — a localized swelling, pimple-like bump on the gum, or facial swelling that could signal infection
• Soft tissue injury to the lips, cheeks, tongue, or gums with bleeding that won't stop
• Loose or partially dislodged adult tooth
• Painful, swollen wisdom teeth or pericoronitis (inflammation around a partially erupted tooth)
• Object lodged between teeth that you can't safely remove with floss

If you're dealing with severe facial swelling that's affecting your breathing or swallowing, a suspected broken jaw, or uncontrolled bleeding after trauma, please head to your nearest emergency room first. Those situations are medical emergencies, and the hospital is the right place to start.

Why Choose Smiles of Longview for Emergency Dental Care?

When you're hurting, you want a dental team that's calm, kind, and ready to act. Here's what sets our Longview practice apart:

Same-Day Appointments — Often Available

We hold time in our schedule specifically for emergency patients. While we can't promise an instant slot every single time (we're honest about that), same-day appointments are often available — especially if you call as early in the day as possible. The sooner we can see you, the sooner we can take the pain off the table.

Same-Day Treatment — When the Situation Allows

Getting in the door is one thing. Actually fixing the problem is another. Our office is equipped to deliver same-day treatment in many emergency situations, including pain management, temporary crowns, fillings, extractions, and more. We don't believe in dragging out your discomfort across multiple visits when we can resolve it in one.

24/7 Online Scheduling

Toothache at midnight? You don't need to wait until morning to do something about it. Our online scheduling tool is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can lock in the next available emergency slot whenever it's convenient. We'll confirm your appointment as soon as we open.

A People-First Approach

We're not a clock-watching, conveyor-belt practice. We’re a team that genuinely listens to your concerns and walks you through every option in plain language. Patients tell us they actually look forward to coming back which, for a dental office, is a pretty good sign.

Common Dental Emergencies and What to Do Before You Get to Our Office

Quick action can sometimes mean the difference between saving a tooth and losing one. Here's ADA-aligned guidance for the most common emergencies you might face. (When in doubt, call us and we'll talk you through it.)

Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth

This one is genuinely time-sensitive. According to the ADA's MouthHealthy guidance, here's what to do:

1. Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the chewing surface) — never the root.
2. Don't scrub it or remove any attached tissue.
3. Keep it moist at all times. If you can, gently place it back in the socket without touching the root. If that's not possible, store it between your cheek and gums, in a container of milk, or in a tooth-preservation product carrying the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
4. Get to our office immediately. The faster we see you, the better the chances of saving the tooth.

Severe Toothache

Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area, and gently use floss to remove any food trapped between your teeth. Skip the old-school trick of placing aspirin directly on the gum — it can actually burn the tissue. A cold compress against your cheek can help with swelling. Then call us.

Cracked or Chipped Tooth

Rinse with warm water and apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to manage swelling. If you can find the broken piece, save it in a small container of milk or saline and bring it with you.

Lost Filling or Crown

Save the crown if you can — sometimes we can re-cement it. In the meantime, over-the-counter dental cement (available at most pharmacies) can offer a temporary fix until you see us. Avoid chewing on that side of your mouth.

Abscess or Facial Swelling

A dental abscess is a serious infection that needs prompt attention. Don't wait it out. Call our office, and if you're experiencing rapidly spreading swelling, fever, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, head to the emergency room.

Bitten Lip, Tongue, or Cheek

Clean the area gently with water and apply a cold compress. If bleeding is severe and won't stop after 10–15 minutes of pressure, seek emergency medical care.

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What to Expect at Your Emergency Visit

Walking into a dental office in pain can feel daunting, especially if it's your first time with us. Here's how we make the process as smooth as possible:

1. Quick check-in. We keep emergency paperwork minimal so we can get you into the chair fast.
2. Focused exam and digital imaging. We'll take a close look at the problem, often with X-rays, to understand exactly what's going on.
3. Pain relief first. Whenever possible, we address discomfort before anything else — whether that means numbing the area, draining an abscess, or stabilizing a damaged tooth.
4. Clear explanation of options. No jargon, no pressure. We'll walk you through your treatment choices, what each one costs, and what insurance is likely to cover.
5. Same-day treatment when possible. Many emergency cases can be fully resolved in a single visit. Others may need a follow-up — but you'll leave knowing exactly what comes next.

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Insurance, Payment, and Making Care Affordable

We accept most major dental insurance plans and offer flexible payment options to help make emergency care more accessible. If you're uninsured or worried about cost, please don't let that stop you from calling — we'll have an honest conversation about what's possible. Putting off a real dental emergency almost always makes the problem (and the eventual bill) bigger.

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Serving Longview, Kelso, and the Surrounding Cowlitz County Communities

Smiles of Longview is conveniently located on Ocean Beach Highway, making us easy to reach for patients across Longview, Kelso, Castle Rock, Rainier, Kalama, and the broader Cowlitz County area. Whether you're a longtime patient or this is the first time you've ever heard of us, you're welcome here when an emergency strikes.

If you're experiencing a dental emergency outside our regular hours, please use our 24/7 online booking to request the next available appointment, and head to your nearest hospital emergency room if your symptoms are severe (uncontrolled bleeding, difficulty breathing or swallowing, suspected jaw fracture).

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Frequently Asked Questions About Emergency Dentistry

We make every effort to see emergency patients the same day they call, and same-day appointments are often available. The earlier in the day you reach out, the better your chances. Our 24/7 online scheduling tool also lets you grab the next available slot anytime.

Yes. You don't have to be an established patient at Smiles of Longview to receive emergency care. We welcome new patients and will treat you with the same attentiveness we'd give a longtime member of our practice family.

You can, but most hospital emergency rooms aren't equipped to actually fix dental problems — they can typically offer pain medication and antibiotics, then refer you to a dentist anyway. The ER is the right call for trauma involving the jaw, uncontrolled bleeding, or facial swelling that affects breathing or swallowing. For nearly everything else dental, calling an emergency dentist directly will get you faster, more effective relief.

We'll do everything we can. Outcomes are best when the tooth is reimplanted within roughly an hour of being knocked out and has been kept moist (ideally in milk or back in the socket). Even if the timing isn't ideal, we still encourage you to come in — there are often more options than people realize.

Costs vary widely depending on what's needed — a simple exam and prescription is very different from a root canal or surgical extraction. We'll give you a clear, honest estimate before any treatment begins, and we'll discuss insurance coverage and payment options upfront.

Use our 24/7 online scheduling to request the next available appointment, and follow the at-home care steps for your specific emergency in the meantime. If your symptoms are severe — significant facial swelling, difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding, or suspected jaw fracture — go to your nearest emergency room right away.