Emergencies

What is a dental emergency?

Dental emergencies are often sudden, painful and distressing. They can have serious consequences if ignored, which is why we offer urgent emergency dentist appointments to relieve your pain and get your mouth back to full health and function. We provide personalised advice, bespoke treatment and reassuring care when you need it.

Whether you need an emergency tooth extraction, dental repair, or anything else, call us as soon as possible or book your emergency appointment online!

Common dental emergencies

We’re pleased to provide information on common dental problems, and advice on what you can do while you are waiting for your emergency appointment. In all cases, please contact us as soon as you can for more information.

Toothache

If you have painful toothache, thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water and use dental floss to remove any stuck food. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek and see your dentist as soon as possible. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against your gums near the aching tooth as this can cause burns and damage.

Chipped or broken teeth

If your tooth has chipped or broken off, save any pieces you can and rinse your mouth with warm water. If there is bleeding, apply a piece of gauze to the area until the bleeding stops, which can take around 10 minutes. Apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth, cheek or lip near your chipped tooth to keep swelling down and relieve pain, and call us as soon as possible.

Knocked-out tooth

If your tooth has been knocked out, it has the highest chance of being saved if you see your dentist and it is returned to the socket within an hour. In order to save your tooth, hold it by the crown (the part you can see in the mouth) and rinse the tooth root with water. Do not scrub or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, try to put your tooth back in place. Make sure it is facing the right way and never force it. If you are not able to reinsert your tooth, put it in a small container of milk and call us as soon as you can.

Extruded (partially dislodged) tooth

If your tooth has partially dislodged, contact us immediately. Until you can get to the practice, please apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or cheek to relieve your pain. Take over-the-counter pain relief if necessary.

Objects caught between teeth

If something is stuck between your teeth, try using dental floss to gently remove the object. If you can’t remove it, please call us for advice. Never use a pin or other sharp object to poke the stuck object, as this can cause damage to your gums or teeth.

Lost fillings or crowns

If your crown falls off, please contact us for an appointment as soon as possible, and remember to bring your crown in. If you’re in pain, use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of clove oil to the sensitive area (this can be bought at your local chemist). If possible, coat the inner surface of your crown with an over-the-counter dental cement, toothpaste or denture adhesive and slip it back over your tooth.

Abscess

Abscesses are serious infections that occur between the teeth and gums or around the root of a tooth. They need to be treated as soon as possible to avoid the infection spreading. If you discover a painful pimple-like swelling on your gum, please call us as soon as possible. To ease the pain, you can rinse your mouth in a mild salt-water solution several times a day.

Soft tissue injuries

Injuries to your tongue, cheeks and gum can result in bleeding. You can control this by rinsing your mouth with a mild salt-water solution and applying pressure to the bleeding site with a wet piece of gauze or tea bag for 15-20 minutes. If the bleeding will not stop, please call us immediately or go to a hospital emergency department for treatment and advice.