What constitutes a dental emergency? That all depends on who has the problem. Obviously, if a front tooth is chipped, but there is no pain, it may not be considered an emergency unless you're someone who is in the public eye. Aren't we all? This is a list of some dental situations for which you should seek care.

Pain stimulated by cold or hot. This usually indicates that the nerve inside the tooth is hurting. There may be decay or exposed roots or a diseased pulp (inner part of the tooth). Get help right away.

Pain after or during chewing. This could be a crown or filling that does not mesh perfectly in the bite. Treatment might be simply to adjust the restoration. It could also indicate damage to the pulp or supporting periodontal structures. Seek help.

Swelling and/or pus around the tooth. Usually indicates the body is fighting an irritant and forming an abscess. Dental phobics manage this crisis by finding antibiotics somewhere but this does not solve the problem. In fact, if a gum abscess is not treated immediately, the supporting bone around the tooth will deteriorate rapidly. Call the dentist at once.

Swelling spreading from the mouth elsewhere. Unfortunately these facial swellings won't make an exciting episode of E.R. but they can be deadly, nonetheless. Dental infections from the top teeth can spread from the sinuses and then to the brain. Dental abscesses from the lower teeth can cause massive swelling that can, if not treated, grow so large that the throat is closed. This is serious and, if you can't find a dentist, get to a hospital emergency room ASAP!!

A sore in your mouth that won't heal. Oral cancer is rare but it happens. Dr. Bob has found several cases over the years. It could manifest itself as a red or white patch on the gum or tongue or cheek. If you are a smoker or if you have a mouthful of rotten teeth, your chances increase for having this. If you are suspicious of any spot in your mouth, get it checked out soon.

Chipped tooth. If the chip is painful, it means the inner layer (dentin) has been exposed. This should be repaired. If a little red spot shows through the fracture, then this is the pulp. If you get this treated quickly, the tooth may not need root canal therapy. But, if the pulp is left open for a long period of time, it will probably die.

Your tooth is knocked out. What, your wife got mad at you, again? Seriously, here are a couple things you can do. First, call your dentist and tell him or her what happened. The chances of the tooth reattaching are highest if the tooth is re-implanted into the socket within 30 minutes of the accident. So, make haste! Meanwhile, try to avoid touching the root of the tooth. Keep it moist and put it in milk or clean water if you can. Apply pressure to the socket with a cloth to stop the bleeding. Your dentist can reposition the tooth in the socket and splint it to stabilize it. It may need a root canal, but it's still yours.

Your crown fell off. Get in to the office quickly to have it recemented. If a crown is off for more than 24 hours, the other teeth will move, making re-insertion of the crown more difficult. The dentist will give you instructions on whether to try to put it back on the tooth, as a temporary measure.

Your filling came out. This can indicate decay is present and can mean that a more extensive restoration may be needed. If it does not hurt, don't think that you can postpone the inevitable. The sooner it is fixed, the better for you.

Your denture broke and you're going out to dinner in an hour. It's 7:00 PM on a Saturday night. My name is Dr. Jones and I'm in the phone book. Just kidding. Be very careful with this situation, but as a very, very short-term fix, you can dry both parts of the denture and superglue them back together, being careful to position the edges so that they go back together perfectly. Don't report me to the ADA, now! Caution, if you get superglue on your hands and touch the denture, you might get hand-in-mouth disease. Seriously, be careful with superglue. Once, when I was in the Navy, one of the sailors superglued a machine part and rubbed his moistened finger on his eye. You can guess what happened. So, after your temporary fix, visit your dentist for a more durable repair.

I have a cold sore in my mouth. Pharmacies have a lot of things that may work. Try Orabase®. This is a sticky substance that you can rub on with a Q-tip. It will aid healing and will make the sore feel better.

I've been hit in the mouth and my teeth feel loose. Any dental trauma should be evaluated right away. X-rays should be taken, including a panoramic to check for unseen jaw fracture. If the jaw is broken, treatment should be started immediately.

My gums bleed a lot. Bleeding gums can indicate gum disease and, worse yet, they can be a sign of leukemia or some other blood-borne disease. See a dentist soon.

I'm having a dizzy spell caused by the mercury in my fillings. Treatment: see a psychiatrist. Seriously, there is no known health risk from mercury in amalgam fillings. However, we prefer not to use amalgam in our office because research has shown that it causes cracks in teeth. There is no scientific justification for removing amalgam fillings to cure a systemic disease, such as multiple sclerosis.

My mouth and tongue feel like they're burning. Sensations like these are fairly rare. They can indicate heavy metal poisoning or an allergic reaction to a substance used in the mouth. Some patients have an allergy to latex, used in rubber gloves worn by health care personnel. Some patients are allergic to nickel and other metals. Have your dentist take a look.