Waiting too long to address your pain may complicate your dental emergency. And it’s unnecessary when you can get 24-hour emergency dental care.

So visit your dentist or seek emergency dental care if you’re dealing with symptoms such as:

A broken or knocked-out tooth. A broken tooth or a tooth that’s been dislodged is the most obvious reason to get emergency dental care. The resulting pain can limit your ability to function, and the injury can result in a lot of bleeding. If you don’t address the situation immediately, it may lead to permanent tooth loss.
Unexplained tooth pain. Any pain that doesn’t have a clear causality needs a professional diagnosis. Maybe you bit down hard enough on something to crack your tooth. Or perhaps it’s a sign of a more serious condition, like an infection. You can’t know what it is until you go to a dentist for a thorough examination.

Missing filling or crown. If a crown falls out, you usually feel it right away. Fillings fall out more frequently than you imagine. If you’re experiencing a metallic taste in your mouth, that’s an indicator that your filling is loose or nearly gone. Ignoring the pain can lead to urgent dental care in the form of a root canal.