Emergencies
A dental emergency rarely picks a convenient time. Severe pain, a face that’s suddenly swollen, a tooth knocked out at football, an abscess that’s throbbing by evening, none of it waits for a routine slot, and it shouldn’t have to. Our team knows what it’s like to be in real pain and not know what to do next, and we’re here to listen, get you seen quickly, and get you out of it.
You don’t need to work out whether it’s “serious enough” first. If you’re in pain, worried, or something doesn’t feel right, call us. Common reasons to get in touch straight away: toothache that’s sharp, constant, or keeping you up at night, swelling in the gum or face, with or without a fever, a tooth that’s been knocked out, chipped, or broken, a lost filling or crown that’s left a tooth painful or sensitive, bleeding that won’t settle after an injury.
Call us: we aim to see urgent cases the same day.
What to do right now
Knocked-out tooth: Pick it up by the crown, never the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or your own saliva, not water. Try to place it back in the socket and bite gently on gauze to hold it there. If you can’t reinsert it, keep it in a small container of milk and get to us as fast as possible, ideally within the hour, this makes the biggest difference to whether it can be saved. Don’t try this with a baby tooth, just control any bleeding and call us.
Broken or chipped tooth: Save any fragment if you can find it, in milk if possible, and see us as soon as we’re open. It’s not usually a 999 situation unless there’s heavy bleeding or facial trauma.
Lost filling or crown: Keep the crown if you still have it and avoid chewing on that side. Over-the-counter dental cement from a pharmacy can protect the tooth temporarily, don’t use superglue.
Severe pain or swelling: Call us ASAP. Pain that isn’t controlled by standard painkillers, or swelling around a tooth, needs to be seen promptly to stop it getting worse.
When to go straight to A&E
If you can’t reach us and your face is swollen with a high fever, call 111 or contact your GP. If the swelling is spreading, or you’re struggling to breathe or swallow, go straight to A&E. These cases shouldn’t wait until the next morning.