Gums that are swollen, bleeding, sore or pulling away from a tooth are usually fighting an infection, and a loose adult tooth means the bone under them is involved. We see gum emergencies the same day in Belmont Cragin. Call (773) 555-0199 first. We're open weekdays 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM and don't take walk-ins.
The $99 covers an emergency exam, consultation and panoramic X-ray. Fees may be adjusted due to complications or unforeseen circumstances. Treatment is priced separately and quoted to you in writing before any work starts.
Same-day appointments · $99 exam + X-ray · Phones answered 24/7 · Se habla español
Signs you need emergency gum treatment today
These signs shouldn't wait:
- Gums that are puffy, dark red or purple, and sore to the touch
- Bleeding that starts on its own, or that soaks a tissue after brushing
- A gum that has pulled back so you can see more of the tooth, or a gap where food packs in
- An adult tooth that moves when you push it with your tongue
- Pus between a tooth and the gum
- A past gum infection that has flared up again, with throbbing or jaw swelling
Swelling that spreads into the face, a fever, or trouble swallowing points to an abscess, which has its own page: dental abscess treatment. Hospitals treat spreading infection and injuries; they generally don't treat the tooth itself. Once the hospital has done its part, the tooth is ours to sort out from there.
What happens at your same-day visit
Three things happen: a look at the gums, a check of each tooth for movement, and a panoramic X-ray. Healthy bone sits close to the neck of each tooth. When a gum infection has been working for a while, that bone line drops down the root. The X-ray shows how far it has dropped and which teeth still have solid support.
Then we treat the infection under the gum. After the area is numbed, our dentists clear out the infected deposits and tissue from the pocket beside the tooth, rinse it, and calm the gum so it can reattach. For a sore, bleeding gum with a tooth that's still firm, this is usually the whole plan.
A loose tooth gets a closer look. If the X-ray shows enough bone to hold it, treating the infection gives it the chance to tighten up. If the bone around it is mostly gone, keeping the tooth isn't realistic, and we say so. Removing it is covered on our emergency tooth extraction page. When a tooth needs something beyond gum treatment, we explain what the tooth needs and the next step.
Antibiotics are added only when the infection has moved past the gum into the surrounding tissue. They don't reach the deposits in the pocket, so they aren't a substitute.
Cost of emergency gum treatment in Chicago
The $99 exam and panoramic X-ray cover the diagnosis: how deep the infection goes and how much bone is left. Emergency gum treatment, and any extraction, are quoted in writing before we begin.
We work with most PPO plans, many Medicare dental plans and selected HMO plans. For insurance we work with, the exam and X-ray are billed to your plan. CareCredit, Cherry, Sunbit, Eve Financial and Proceed financing are available for anyone who wants to spread payments out. Our cost and insurance page lays out the whole picture.
Why patients choose our Belmont Cragin office
We open at 7:00 AM Monday through Friday, with same-day emergency slots held at 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. The exam, the X-ray and the gum treatment all happen in this office, by our own Illinois-licensed dentists.
Call at any hour and you reach a person. When the office is dark, an answering service picks up; they take down your details and hold the next business morning's first slot, 7:00 AM, for you. Spanish-speaking staff are here during office hours. Parking on site. Open since 2025.
Emergency gum treatment near you on Chicago's Northwest Side
We're at 5841 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60634, on W Belmont Ave between N Central Ave and N Austin Ave, about a mile north of Riis Park. The 77 Belmont bus runs along the avenue.
From Belmont Cragin, it's a few minutes along Belmont or down Central. Logan Square patients take N Milwaukee Ave northwest to Belmont and head west, 10 to 16 minutes, or ride the 77 from Belmont and Milwaukee. From Montclare, take W Diversey Ave east to N Narragansett Ave, north to Belmont, then east, 7 to 12 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is bleeding when I brush really an emergency?
A trace of pink now and then isn't. Bleeding that happens every time, starts on its own, or comes with swelling, pain or a loose tooth is an infection that's getting ahead of you. Coming in while the bone is still there is the difference between keeping a tooth and losing it.
Can a loose adult tooth tighten back up?
Sometimes. A tooth loosened by infection and swelling can firm up once the infection is treated and the gum settles, as long as enough bone remains around the root. The X-ray tells us which case yours is. A tooth that's loose because the bone is gone won't tighten, and we'll say so.
What should I do tonight before my appointment?
Salt water rinses, gentle ones. Keep brushing the other teeth. Don't poke at the sore gum or try to wiggle a loose tooth. A store-bought pain reliever, used as directed on the box, is fine. If swelling spreads to your face or you run a fever, read our abscess page and call us.