Guide to Toothache Needing Emergency Dental Care: Symptoms That Cannot Wait and Finding Holiday Care

For most toothaches, a dental appointment within the next few days is enough, but a toothache with spreading infection or a hidden problem in another organ must not wait. If the face and neck swell and the mouth will not open well or swallowing is hard, get care right away. A toothache that worsens with activity and comes with chest or shoulder pain may be a heart problem and needs to be checked immediately.

Published 2026-11-08 · Updated 2026-11-08 · DentalStatics editorial team

Key facts

Symptoms to see a dentist for right away	Severe facial swelling, limited mouth opening, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, chills and fever (source: Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA, 질병관리청) National Health Information Portal)
Inflammation around wisdom teeth	If it recurs, it can become severe enough to swell the face and neck (source: Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) National Health Information Portal)
Cardiac toothache	Worse with activity, accompanied by chest, front-neck and shoulder pain; if suspected, see a cardiologist immediately (source: Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) National Health Information Portal)
Finding care on holidays and at night	Search on the e-gen website and app, phone 129 or 120, emergency situation center 119 (source: Ministry of Health and Welfare)
Temporary filling lost during root canal treatment	Visit the dentist right away to prevent contamination (source: Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) National Health Information Portal)

Which toothaches are emergencies?

What decides whether it is an emergency is not the toothache itself but the symptoms that come with it. If any of the symptoms below are present, get care without waiting until the next day. If breathing is hard or consciousness becomes dim, call 119 right away.

If it is hard to decide where to go, the 119 emergency situation management center can also direct you to a nearby open medical institution. If symptoms worsen quickly while traveling, do not hesitate to request an ambulance.

When the face, under the jaw or the neck swells and keeps getting bigger
When the mouth does not open well, or swallowing saliva and food is hard
When a fever comes with chills
When chest, front-neck or shoulder pain or shortness of breath comes with the toothache
When a tooth has been knocked out or badly broken by trauma

Why is a toothache with facial swelling dangerous?

If infection of the tooth nerve is left alone, inflammation can spread to the surrounding bone through the root tip and progress to conditions such as osteomyelitis. The KDCA explains that when inflammation around a wisdom tooth recurs, the face and even the neck can swell.

If pus has collected, the inflammation is first settled by incision to drain the pus, and antibiotics are used if there is heat. If the swelling spreads toward the neck and affects swallowing or breathing, the emergency room comes before the dentist.

Do not get by on painkillers alone for a toothache with swelling. The KDCA explains that when a wisdom tooth is swollen and painful, choosing an anti-inflammatory painkiller on your own may seem to help briefly but can make it worse.

Writing down when the swelling began, how fast it grows and whether there is a fever helps the dentist judge how far the infection has advanced. Even if pus is visible on the gum, do not squeeze it out with your hands or a needle; get care.

What should I do if chest pain comes with the toothache?

Cardiac circulation disorders such as angina or myocardial infarction can appear as pain that radiates deep into the jaw or teeth. The KDCA explains that cardiac toothache worsens with activity or exercise and is often accompanied by chest, front-neck and shoulder pain.

If cardiac toothache is suspected, you must be examined and treated right away by a cardiologist. If chest pain is severe, or you are short of breath and in a cold sweat, do not drive yourself; call 119 for help.

Cardiac toothache sometimes appears as toothache alone. If a person with heart disease or risk factors has tooth pain every time they exercise, it is safer to have a cardiac examination separately from dental care.

Where do I get care at night or on holidays?

The Ministry of Health and Welfare directs people to open hospitals, clinics and pharmacies during holidays through the Emergency Medical Portal e-gen and its app of the same name, the Health and Welfare Counseling Center 129, and the city and provincial call center 120. By searching with location, department and date, you can find open dental clinics and pharmacies, and the app also shows service hours.

Operating information can change depending on each institution's circumstances, so confirm by phone before visiting. The government urges that for mild symptoms you use an open hospital, clinic or public health center before the emergency room.

The emergency room prioritizes life-threatening situations, such as spreading infection or problems with breathing and swallowing. After emergency care, continue with dental care to treat the causative tooth.

What should I check if I am in the middle of root canal treatment or just had it?

If inflammation spreads to the root tip during root canal treatment, severe pain and acute swelling can occur. If the tooth being treated suddenly swells a lot and hurts, do not wait for the next appointment; contact the dental clinic treating you.

The KDCA advises that if the temporary filling comes out during root canal treatment, you should visit the dentist right away to prevent contamination. Leaving a temporary filling for a long time risks reinfection, so keep to the set visit schedule too.

If several days after extraction the swelling is growing, the mouth opens less and less and swallowing becomes hard, it can be a sign that infection at the extraction site is spreading. As the KDCA advises, in such a case do not wait for the next appointment; see a dentist right away.

Common myths and facts

Myth: Even if the face swells, I can take a painkiller and wait for the swelling to go down.

The KDCA warns that taking anti-inflammatory painkillers on your own can make it worse and lead to an emergency. If there is swelling and fever, get care right away.

Myth: A toothache is not life-related, so it cannot be an emergency.

When infection spreads to the face and neck, or a heart problem appears as toothache, immediate care is needed.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find a dental clinic that is open on a holiday?

Search by region and department on the Emergency Medical Portal e-gen website or app, or inquire by phone at 129 or 120. Before visiting, it is good to call the clinic to confirm it is actually seeing patients.

Can I get cavity treatment too if I go to the emergency room?

The emergency room focuses on controlling infection and pain and getting past dangerous situations. Treatment of the cause, such as root canal treatment or extraction, is usually taken over later at a dental clinic, so be sure to book a dental visit even after emergency care.

Can I call 119 for a toothache?

If it is only a toothache, finding an open dental clinic or hospital comes first. However, if the face and neck are swollen and breathing or swallowing is hard, or chest pain and shortness of breath come with the toothache, call 119 for help.

My child fell and a front tooth was knocked out.

A dental injury is an emergency in which time matters. Do not touch the root of the knocked-out tooth; bring it and go to a dentist or the emergency room as soon as possible. For the detailed first-aid method, see the guide on first aid for a knocked-out tooth.

The area near my wisdom tooth is swollen and my mouth does not open well.

Inflammation around the wisdom tooth may have worsened. Recurring inflammation can grow the swelling to the face and neck, and if pus collects it may need to be drained by incision, so do not get by on painkillers; see a dentist as soon as possible.

References

Korean version →