There are all types of injuries and aches and pains that can occur within the mouth. Sometimes these emergencies result in unbearable pain, some of them are injuries to the gums, or other times a tooth or temporary gets knocked out or broken. It's important to not let dental emergencies go untreated, as they can result in more serious or permanent damage.

If you encounter a dental emergency, you should call your dentist immediately. Many dental offices have slots set aside for emergencies, or they can bump other patients to treat you. If your emergency occurs outside of hours, look in your phone book for emergency dental care. These places are generally much more expensive, but insurance usually covers a portion.

While you're awaiting treatment, the following are some common dental emergencies and how to treat them until your dentist can see you:

Broken or cracked tooth
If you break or crack your tooth, you should call your dentist immediately. In fact, you should contact your dentist or go to an emergency dental center within 30 minutes in order to maximize your chances of saving your broken tooth. In the meantime, however, rinse your mouth out with warm water to clean blood and debris from the area. If the jaw is swelling, you can apply a cold compresses on the area to keep the swelling under control.

Broken jaw
If you think you've broken your jaw, you should go to the hospital or your dentist immediately (if teeth are missing). In the meantime, a cold compresses can help to alleviate swelling.

Knocked-out tooth
If you have knocked your tooth out, hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the root of the tooth in water if it's dirty. (You may want to make sure the drain is stopped as well so it doesn't go down.) Don't scrub the tooth and leave all the tissue fragments attached to the root. If you can, gently put your tooth in its socket and hold it there. If that isn't possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and get to the dentist as soon as you can.

Something stuck in the teeth
When you have something stuck in your teeth, first try to remove it with dental floss, being careful of the gums. Never use anything else, especially any type of sharp instrument, to remove an object stuck in your teeth. If it's still there after flossing, contact the dentist; if it remains there, it could damage your gums and teeth.

Toothache
If you have a toothache, first rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out. Floss and brush gently in case food or some other debris is causing the pain. If the pain still persists, contact your dentist and take a pain reliever until he or she can see you.

Dental emergencies can be troublesome at best, excruciatingly painful at worst. While you wait to see your dentist or an emergency treatment center, the above tips can help manage pain.