Call your dentist the same day for tooth pain that throbs, wakes you up, lingers 30 seconds or more after hot or cold, or comes with swelling, fever, pus, or a broken or knocked-out tooth. Go to the ER for trouble breathing or swallowing, or swelling that spreads toward your eye or neck. A quick twinge that fades within seconds, mild soreness after recent dental work, or sinus-related aching in the upper teeth can usually wait for a regular appointment.
Tooth pain can be a dull ache when you sip your morning coffee or a sharp jolt that keeps you up at night. Not every toothache needs an emergency visit, but some do. At 2nd Avenue Family Dental in Durango, we would rather you call and find out it can wait than wait and wish you had called. This guide explains which kinds of tooth pain can usually wait, which ones mean you should call today, and what to do in the meantime.
How Urgent Is Your Tooth Pain?
Can usually wait for a regular appointment
A brief twinge to cold or sweets that fades within a few seconds, mild soreness for a few days after a filling or cleaning, aching in the upper back teeth during a sinus infection, or morning jaw soreness from grinding.
Call the dentist today
Throbbing or persistent pain, pain that wakes you up, sensitivity that lingers 30 seconds or more, swelling in the gums or face, fever with tooth pain, pus or a foul taste, or a cracked, broken or knocked-out tooth.
Go to the emergency room
Difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling that spreads toward your eye, jaw or neck, or significant facial swelling with fever. These can signal a spreading infection and need emergency medical care right away.
Common Causes of Tooth Pain That Can Usually Wait
These usually do not mean you need to be seen today. They can typically be managed at home for a short time and addressed at your next appointment—but do mention them, because they can point to problems worth checking.
1. Tooth sensitivity that fades quickly
A quick sting from something cold or hot that disappears within a few seconds is often caused by enamel wear or gum recession exposing the root. A desensitizing toothpaste can help. If the sensitivity lingers 30 seconds or more, or keeps getting worse, call—that pattern raises more concern about the nerve inside the tooth. Learn more about why teeth feel sensitive to hot or cold.
2. Recent dental work
Mild sensitivity or soreness for a few days after a filling, crown or cleaning is common. Call if the pain is getting worse instead of better, becomes intense, or your bite feels high.
3. Sinus pressure
The roots of the upper back teeth sit close to the sinuses, so a sinus infection or allergies can cause a dull ache in several upper teeth at once. If the ache stays after the sinus symptoms clear, have the teeth checked.
4. Teeth grinding (bruxism)
Morning jaw soreness or tooth pain without an obvious cause may point to nighttime grinding, which wears enamel and stresses teeth with large fillings. A night guard is often recommended.
5. Food stuck between teeth or gum irritation
A popcorn hull or seed caught at the gumline can make the area sore. Gentle flossing and a warm salt-water rinse usually help within a day or two. If the soreness continues or the gum swells, call.
When Tooth Pain Means You Should Call the Dentist Today
These symptoms can point to infection, deep decay or structural damage. Waiting can lead to more pain, a harder-to-save tooth, or infection spreading beyond the mouth.
1. Throbbing, persistent pain or pain that wakes you up
Deep, throbbing pain that does not settle with over-the-counter pain relievers may mean the nerve inside the tooth is inflamed or infected. This does not go away on its own. Read more about how to tell if you need a root canal or a filling.
2. Swelling in the gums or face
Swelling usually means infection. Call the same day. If the swelling spreads toward your eye or neck, or you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to the emergency room.
3. Fever with tooth pain
A fever alongside a toothache suggests your body is fighting an infection. Call the dentist right away.
4. A cracked or broken tooth
A crack can cause sharp pain when biting or when you release pressure. Save any broken pieces, rinse your mouth gently and call. See how broken and cracked teeth are evaluated.
5. A knocked-out adult tooth
This is the most time-sensitive dental emergency. A permanent tooth has the best chance of being saved if it is back in the socket within about 15 minutes, and it may still be saved within the first hour if it is kept moist.
- Pick the tooth up by the crown (the chewing part), not the root.
- If it is dirty, rinse it gently with milk or saline. Do not scrub it.
- If you can, gently push it back into the socket and bite on gauze or a clean cloth to hold it.
- If you cannot, keep it moist in milk or saline—never dry and never in tap water.
- Call us right away and come in, or go to the nearest emergency room if you cannot reach a dentist.
Knocked-out baby teeth are not put back in, but the child should still see a dentist promptly. See our guide on handling a knocked-out tooth in a child.
6. Pus, a foul taste or a gum “pimple”
A bad taste, pus or a small bump on the gum near a sore tooth can be signs of an abscess. These need professional treatment.
What to Do While You Wait for Your Appointment
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, following the package directions.
- Rinse with warm salt water to soothe the area.
- Hold a cold compress on the outside of your cheek for comfort—but remember that swelling itself means you should call today.
- Avoid very hot, cold or sugary foods and drinks.
- Stick to soft foods and chew on the other side.
- Do not put aspirin directly on the gum, which can burn the tissue.
These steps can ease discomfort, but they do not treat the cause.
Emergency and Same-Day Dental Care in Durango
At 2nd Avenue Family Dental, we offer same-day appointments for problems that cannot wait, including severe pain, swelling and dental injuries. If you are not sure whether your situation is urgent, call and our team will talk through your symptoms and help you decide on the next step. Learn more about our emergency dentist services in Durango.
If dental visits make you nervous, tell us. We can talk through comfort and sedation dentistry options once we know what is causing the pain.
Tooth Pain FAQs
How do I know if my toothache is an emergency?
Call your dentist the same day for throbbing pain, pain that wakes you up, swelling, fever, pus, or a broken or knocked-out tooth. Go to the ER for trouble breathing or swallowing or swelling spreading toward your eye or neck.
Can a toothache go away on its own?
Mild sensitivity or soreness after dental work often settles within a few days. But pain from an infected or damaged nerve does not heal on its own—and it can stop hurting when the nerve dies while the infection remains. A tooth that hurt badly and then went quiet should still be checked.
How long is too long to wait with tooth pain?
If mild pain has not improved after two or three days, or it is getting worse, call. Do not wait at all for swelling, fever, a knocked-out tooth or pain that keeps you awake.
Should I go to the ER or the dentist for tooth pain?
For most tooth pain, call the dentist. Go to the ER for trouble breathing or swallowing, spreading facial swelling, or a high fever with facial swelling. The ER can manage the emergency, but you will still need a dentist to treat the tooth.
Why does my tooth hurt when I bite down?
Pain on biting can come from a crack, a loose or failing filling, decay or inflammation around the root. It is worth an exam, especially if it happens on the same tooth every time.
Call 2nd Avenue Family Dental
If you or a loved one has tooth pain, don’t wait it out. Call us at (970) 247-4848 or schedule an appointment. We are at 835 E 2nd Ave, Durango, CO 81301.
This article was reviewed for patient education by Dr. Taylor M. Clark of 2nd Avenue Family Dental in Durango, CO. Dr. Clark earned his dental degree from UNC Chapel Hill, served with the Indian Health Service in Whiteriver, Arizona, and completed a two-year UCLA advanced anesthesiology residency.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org), First Aid for a Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth; Cleveland Clinic, What to Do if a Tooth Is Knocked Out.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, or rapidly spreading swelling, seek emergency medical care.
Last updated October 22, 2026.