Treat pain or discomfort
In pain? We’ll see you today.
Severe toothache, swelling, a broken tooth or a lost crown: call us before 3pm and we will see you the same day. Registered patients can reach a dentist out of hours.
What counts as an emergency
If it hurts, it counts.
You do not need to decide whether it is “bad enough”. If any of these apply, call us and let us make the call.
Severe toothache
Pain that painkillers no longer control, or that keeps you awake at night.
Facial swelling
Swelling of the gum, cheek or jaw. If it affects your breathing or swallowing, go to A&E first.
Broken or chipped tooth
A fractured or sharp tooth, especially if it is painful or a large piece has come away.
Knocked-out tooth
Time matters. Keep the tooth in milk or your cheek, do not scrub it, and call us immediately.
Lost crown or filling
Not always painful, but the tooth is exposed and can break further. Keep the crown if you have it.
Bleeding after extraction
Bleeding that will not stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure on a clean gauze or handkerchief.
While you wait
What to do right now
Simple steps that make the next few hours more bearable, and give the tooth its best chance.
Take painkillers safely
Ibuprofen and paracetamol together, at the doses on the packet, are the most effective combination for dental pain. Never place aspirin on the gum, as it burns.
Rinse with warm salt water
A teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, held around the sore area for 30 seconds, several times a day. It eases gum swelling and keeps a broken tooth clean.
Protect the tooth
Keep a lost crown safe (a dab of toothpaste can hold it temporarily). Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum. A knocked-out adult tooth: hold by the crown, rinse briefly, and keep it in milk or in your cheek.
Call us. Do not wait to see if it settles
Pain that eases on its own has usually not gone away; the nerve has died and infection follows. Call before 3pm for a same-day appointment. Registered patients can use the out-of-hours line at any time.
What happens at an emergency appointment
Relief first. Then a plan.
An emergency appointment is 30 minutes. It is designed to stop the pain and give you a clear next step, not to squeeze in treatment you have not had time to think about.
We get you out of pain
The first job is relief. Local anaesthetic, draining an abscess, smoothing a sharp edge or dressing an exposed tooth, usually within the first fifteen minutes.
We find the cause
A focused examination and an x-ray of the tooth in question, so you know exactly what is going on and what the options are.
We agree what happens next
Sometimes the emergency visit is all you need. If further treatment is required, such as a root canal, a crown or an extraction, we quote it in writing before anything goes ahead.
Emergency fees
Emergency appointment from £95
Includes assessment, an x-ray if needed and immediate relief. Any further treatment is quoted in writing before we proceed, so there are no surprises on the day.
Questions
What people ask when they call
Still not sure? Call 01 234 5678. Our reception team are trained to triage dental emergencies.
Call before 3pm on a weekday and we will see you the same day, usually within a couple of hours. After 3pm we will see you first thing the next morning, and give you advice over the phone in the meantime. Registered patients can use the out-of-hours line.
Emergency appointment fees are listed in our fee guide. We will tell you the fee before you come in, and if further treatment is needed we will explain the options and costs before anything goes ahead.
Please call us. We will ask a few questions about what has happened and let you know when we can see you. If we cannot help quickly enough, we will tell you where to go instead.
Pick the tooth up by the crown (the white part), not the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or with saline rather than scrubbing it. If you can, gently push it back into the socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it in place. If not, keep it in milk or against the inside of your cheek, and call us straight away. Do not put a baby tooth back in.
Go to A&E if you have bleeding that will not stop, swelling that is spreading to your eye or neck or making it hard to swallow, or an injury to your face or jaw after an accident. Call 999 if you are struggling to breathe. For toothache, broken teeth or lost fillings and crowns, call us.
Request a callback
Not urgent, but you would like us to call?
If you would rather not phone, or you are somewhere you cannot talk, leave us a few details and a member of the reception team will call you back, usually within the hour during opening times.
Please do not use this form for severe pain, swelling or trauma. Call us. It is quicker.
Request a callback
Mon–Fri 8.30am–6pm. We aim to call back within one working hour.
Contact the Practice
Call us. We will take it from there.
Same-day emergency appointments Monday to Friday. Our reception team will ask a few questions, give you advice for the meantime and book you in with the next available dentist.
- Phone
- 01 234 5678
- Opening hours
- Mon – Thu 8.30am – 6.00pm · Fri 8.30am – 4.00pm
- Out of hours
- Registered patients: the number is on your registration letter
- Address
- 12 Example Street, [Town], [County] AB1 2CD