Emergency Advice

I have an emergency dental problem, what can I do?

You need to contact us as soon as possible (01291 421351 or 01633 881084). In particular we would class swelling, uncontrolled bleeding after extraction or a tooth being knocked out as urgent emergencies.If we are closed at the time of your emergency, you can use the following out of hours contact numbers:NHS patients: 01633 744387
Private / Denplan patients: 07623 984723

If it isn’t an emergency or if it’s impractical to contact us straight away you may be able to stabilise the problem until your appointment, as per below.

If you have a tooth that has been knocked out

Time is of the essence so you need to seek help from a dentist as soon as possible. If you can replace the tooth within 30 minutes there is a chance it may be okay. If you still have the tooth, firstly check that it’s clean. Try not to touch the root of the tooth (hold it by the “crown” – the part of tooth you can normally see), if it is dirty, clean it with saliva, milk or water. Replace the tooth firmly if you can and hold it in place, maintaining gentle pressure for as long as you can. You should contact the practice as soon as possible.

If you have toothache or other dental pain

There are many reasons for toothache or dental pain and your dentist will be able to help you with this. You should contact the practice as soon as you can for advice. In the meantime a combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen will often help but only up to recommended dose levels and if it is medically safe for you to take these drugs.

If you have lost a filling or broken a tooth

It may be possible to seal the cavity to stop things getting into the cavity until you can get in to see us. Try sugar-free gum, or cotton wool with clove oil if the tooth is painful. Some chemists also sell temporary filling materials. As with all dental problems, the longer it is left, the more difficult or complicated it can be to put things right again.

If a crown or bridge has come out

Clean the crown or bridge and see if it goes back in firmly. If it doesn’t feel snug then it is often safer to leave it out until your dentist has checked it. If it feels secure then you could try either a temporary cementation kit (such as a “Dentanurse” kit) or even a denture fixative to secure the crown/bridge as a temporary measure. Whilst a lost crown or bridge wouldn’t normally be classed as an urgent emergency it is important to seek dental advice as soon as possible.