Urgent Dental Care

Emergency Dentist in Ottawa, Ontario

Severe toothache, a broken or knocked-out tooth, a lost filling or swelling? Call us and tell us what has happened. We will book you the earliest opening we have at our clinic on Montreal Road in Gloucester, Ottawa.

Call Now: 613-321-0265 Book Appointment

Trouble breathing or swallowing, or swelling spreading to your eye or neck? Go to the nearest hospital emergency department. See all warning signs.

  • General dental practice
  • Accepting new patients
  • 1942 Montreal Road, Gloucester
Storefront entrance of Ogilvie Dental at 1942 Montreal Road, Gloucester, Ottawa

When to Go to an Emergency Department

Some problems that start in the mouth need hospital care, not a dental appointment. Do not wait to see a dentist if you or the person you are helping has:

  • Difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • Swelling in the face, jaw or mouth that is spreading towards the eye, down the neck or under the tongue
  • Facial swelling together with a fever or feeling very unwell
  • Bleeding from the mouth that does not stop after 10–15 minutes of firm pressure
  • A possible broken jaw, or teeth that suddenly no longer meet when you close your mouth
  • A blow to the head or face with loss of consciousness, confusion, vomiting or severe headache
  • Sudden jaw pain with chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating or nausea — this can be a sign of a heart attack
Call 613-523-4185

Dental emergency while we are closed? Call the Ottawa Dental Society Emergency Line at 613-523-4185, open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily, including holidays (administrative office: 613-523-3876).

First Aid

Common Dental Emergencies and What to Do

Safe first steps to take before you reach us. They are not a substitute for an examination — call 613-321-0265 as soon as you can.

Severe Toothache

Persistent or throbbing pain can point to decay, a cracked tooth or infection inside the tooth.

What to do

  • Rinse your mouth with warm water.
  • Floss gently around the tooth to remove any trapped food.
  • Hold a cold compress against the outside of your cheek, 15–20 minutes at a time.
  • An over-the-counter pain reliever may help. Follow the package directions, and ask a pharmacist if you take other medicines or have health conditions.

Avoid

  • Putting aspirin or any painkiller directly on the gum or tooth — it can burn the gum.
  • Applying heat to your face.

Pain that keeps you awake or comes with swelling often needs root canal treatment or another procedure. Call us.

Broken, Chipped or Cracked Tooth

Even a small chip can leave a sharp edge or expose the sensitive layer of the tooth.

What to do

  • Rinse your mouth gently with warm water.
  • Keep any pieces of tooth in a clean container of milk and bring them with you.
  • If the gum is bleeding, press on it with clean gauze or a clean cloth.
  • Use a cold compress on the cheek to reduce swelling.
  • Cover a sharp edge with dental wax or sugar-free gum.

Avoid

  • Chewing on that side, and very hot, cold or hard foods.

Depending on the damage, a broken tooth may be repaired with a filling or a crown.

Knocked-Out Adult Tooth

Time matters. Act straight away and call us as soon as possible.

What to do

  • Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the white chewing part). Do not touch the root.
  • If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline. Do not scrub it.
  • If you can, gently push it back into the socket the right way round, then bite on a clean cloth to hold it in place.
  • If it cannot go back in, keep it in a container of milk, or in a small container of the person’s own saliva.
  • Call 613-321-0265 straight away. If we are closed, go to an emergency department.

Avoid

  • Storing the tooth in water, or letting it dry out.
  • Wrapping it in tissue or paper.
  • Putting a baby tooth back in — this can damage the adult tooth growing underneath. Keep the tooth and call us.

Lost Filling or Crown

The exposed tooth may be sensitive and is easier to damage until it is restored.

What to do

  • Keep the crown somewhere safe and bring it with you.
  • Keep the area clean by rinsing gently with warm water.
  • Temporary dental filling material from a pharmacy can cover the gap for a short time. Follow the package directions.
  • Chew on the other side until the tooth is repaired.

Avoid

  • Gluing a crown back with superglue or any household adhesive.
  • Very sticky, hard, sweet, hot or cold foods on that side.

Learn more about crowns and bridges.

Dental Abscess or Swelling

An abscess is a pocket of infection. Signs include throbbing pain, swelling of the gum or face, a pimple-like bump on the gum, a bad taste or a fever.

What to do

  • Call us the same day. A dental infection will not clear up on its own and needs to be examined.
  • Rinse gently with warm salt water.
  • Use a cold compress on the outside of the cheek.
  • An over-the-counter pain reliever may help. Follow the package directions.

Avoid

  • Squeezing or trying to drain the swelling yourself.
  • Applying heat to the face.

Swelling that is spreading, or swelling with fever or trouble swallowing, needs emergency care now.

Other Dental Emergencies

Not sure whether your problem is urgent? Call us and describe it.

Bleeding after a tooth is removed

Bite firmly on folded gauze for 30 minutes and follow the after-care instructions you were given. If it does not stop, call us, or go to an emergency department if we are closed.

Cut lip, tongue or cheek

Rinse gently and press a clean, damp cloth on the cut. If bleeding does not stop after 10–15 minutes of firm pressure, go to an emergency department.

Something stuck between teeth

Try to remove it gently with dental floss. Do not use a pin or other sharp object.

Broken brace wire or bracket

Cover a poking wire with orthodontic wax or a small piece of cotton and call us. Do not cut the wire yourself. See braces.

This is general first-aid information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for an examination. Only an examination — and often X-rays — can show what is causing your problem and what treatment you need.

What to Expect

What Happens When You Call Us

From your first phone call to treatment, here is how we handle an urgent problem.

  1. Call and Tell Us What Happened

    Phone 613-321-0265. Describe your symptoms, when they started and anything that makes them better or worse.

  2. We Book Our Earliest Opening

    We will find you the earliest opening we have and let you know what to do in the meantime.

  3. Examination and X-Rays

    The dentist examines the area and takes digital X-rays if needed to find the cause.

  4. Options and an Estimate First

    We explain your options, what each involves and what it is likely to cost before any work begins. You decide how to proceed.

  5. Treatment or Referral

    Depending on what we find, treatment may include a filling, root canal treatment, a crown, gum care or tooth removal. Some problems need more than one visit. If you need a specialist, we will refer you.

Ogilvie Dental is a general dental practice. Our dentists are general dentists, not specialists. Call us about CDCP, IFHP or workplace insurance and we will explain what applies to you. See all our dental services.

Emergency Dentist FAQs

Questions patients ask about urgent dental care. If yours is not here, call 613-321-0265.

Do you see patients with dental emergencies?

Yes. Call 613-321-0265 and tell us what has happened - a toothache, a broken or knocked-out tooth, a lost filling or crown, or swelling. We will book you the earliest opening we have.

Can I get a same-day emergency appointment?

It depends on our schedule that day, so we cannot promise a same-day appointment. Call as early in the day as you can and we will tell you when our earliest opening is. If you have any of the warning signs listed on this page, such as trouble breathing or swallowing, go to the nearest hospital emergency department instead of waiting.

Do I have to be an existing patient?

No. We are accepting new patients of all ages, so you can call us whether or not you have been to Ogilvie Dental before.

What should I do if you are closed?

Go to the nearest hospital emergency department if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading towards your eye or neck, bleeding that will not stop, or an injury to your head or jaw. For other dental emergencies while we are closed, call the Ottawa Dental Society Emergency Line at 613-523-4185, open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily, including holidays (administrative office: 613-523-3876). Then call us when we open — our hours are listed below.

Should I go to the hospital for a toothache?

Go to a hospital emergency department if a toothache comes with trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading to your eye, neck or under your tongue, or a fever with facial swelling. Hospital emergency departments treat these problems, but they generally do not carry out dental treatment such as fillings or root canals. For a toothache without these warning signs, call a dentist.

How much does an emergency dental visit cost?

It depends on what the examination shows and what treatment you need. We explain the options and what each is likely to cost, and give you an estimate before any work begins. Call us about CDCP, IFHP or workplace insurance and we will explain what applies to you.

Can I email or use the contact form for an urgent problem?

For anything urgent, please phone 613-321-0265 rather than emailing or using the contact form, so we can talk it through with you and book you in. Please do not send detailed health information by email.

Are your dentists emergency specialists?

No. Ogilvie Dental is a general dental practice and our dentists are general dentists, not specialists. Emergency dentistry is not a recognized dental specialty. If your problem needs a specialist, we will refer you.

Contact Us

Contact Ogilvie Dental

We are on Montreal Road in Gloucester, in the east end of Ottawa, a short drive from Beacon Hill, Blackburn Hamlet, Rothwell Heights, Cyrville and Orléans.

Call or Visit

Call Now Book Appointment

The online form is for non-urgent requests. For anything urgent, please phone. See our privacy policy for how we handle your information.

Office Hours

Ogilvie Dental office hours
Monday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday By Appointment Only
Sunday Closed

Hours can change around public holidays, so please call ahead. When we are closed: go to the nearest hospital emergency department for the warning signs above, or call the Ottawa Dental Society Emergency Line at 613-523-4185, open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily, including holidays (administrative office: 613-523-3876).

Dental Emergency? Call Ogilvie Dental

Tell us what has happened and we will book you the earliest opening we have. New and existing patients of all ages are welcome.

Call 613-321-0265 Book Appointment

1942 Montreal Road, Gloucester, ON K1J 6N2

Call 613-321-0265