When is a toothache an emergency?

Tooth pain has several possible causes, and a web page cannot assess your tooth. These warning signs can help you decide when to seek advice urgently. If you are unsure, contact an available dental or medical service rather than waiting for symptoms to worsen.

Toothache right now? Call reception to check the next available appointment.

Call now

Listen to the pain — it’s telling you something

A brief twinge with cold or sweet food may come from sensitivity, decay, a filling or another cause. The pattern cannot diagnose it. Contact a dentist for advice, particularly if pain persists, returns or changes.

Pain that throbs, lingers or interrupts sleep needs prompt dental assessment. It can have several causes, including inflammation or infection, and treatment depends on the findings. If pain is severe or worsening, seek urgent advice from an available dentist.

Swelling changes everything

Swelling, a recurring spot on the gum, fever or a bad taste can indicate infection and needs prompt assessment. Call reception during practice hours to check urgent availability. If we are closed or cannot see you promptly, seek urgent dental care elsewhere.

Swelling around an eye or the neck, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, needs hospital emergency care now. Do not wait for this practice to reopen or for a message reply.

The knocked-out tooth: a race worth running

A knocked-out adult tooth needs urgent dental care immediately. Hold it by the crown, avoid touching or scrubbing the root, and keep it in milk if it is not back in its socket. Contact an available dentist now; do not wait for this practice to reopen.

Never reinsert a knocked-out baby tooth: doing so can harm the developing adult tooth. Seek dental advice for the child, and urgent medical help for a serious injury. If you are unsure whether the tooth is an adult or baby tooth, do not guess; keep it in milk and get urgent advice.

When the problem seems less urgent

Some minor chips or a lost filling without pain may be less urgent, but a web page cannot assess your tooth. Contact a dentist for advice, keep the area clean and avoid chewing on the affected side. New pain, swelling or bleeding changes the urgency.

Arrange dental advice promptly. If you are unsure how urgent it is, seek advice rather than relying on pain easing. Do not wait for this practice to reopen if you need urgent care.

What shouldn’t wait at all

If any of these is happening, treat it as today’s problem, not tomorrow’s:

Severe toothache — throbbing, constant, or waking you at night
Swelling of the gum, face or jaw needs urgent assessment; eye or neck swelling, or breathing or swallowing difficulty, needs a hospital emergency department now
An abscess, or pain with a bad taste that suggests one
A knocked-out or badly broken adult tooth
Bleeding that won’t stop
A crown or filling that’s come off and left the tooth hurting

What happens when you call us

Call reception during practice hours and describe what is bothering you. Reception will check appointment availability and confirm your date and time. Ask about consultation fees; treatment costs depend on the assessment and are quoted before treatment.

For a knocked-out adult tooth, hold it by the crown, keep it in milk and seek urgent dental care. Never reinsert a baby tooth. A cold compress can help with swelling; do not put aspirin on the gum.

You can WhatsApp reception to request an appointment. Messages are reviewed during practice hours, so urgent problems should not wait for a reply after closing. Reception confirms availability and the appointment time.

Ready when you are. Even if it’s been years.

Call or WhatsApp reception to request an appointment. Reception confirms your date and time; after-hours messages are handled when reception reopens.

Call or WhatsApp Talk to us

Questions patients ask

Should I go to the hospital for a toothache?

Tooth pain usually needs a dentist. Eye or neck swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing, serious face or jaw injury, or bleeding that will not stop needs hospital emergency care now. Do not wait for reception to reopen.

Can a toothache go away on its own?

Pain can settle for different reasons, and improvement does not confirm the cause has resolved. Arrange an assessment for persistent or recurring toothache. Seek urgent advice for severe pain, swelling, fever or other worsening symptoms.

What can I do for a toothache at night before I can see a dentist?

Ask a pharmacist about suitable pain relief and follow the label. Do not put aspirin on the gum. Seek urgent dental advice; eye or neck swelling, breathing or swallowing difficulty, serious injury or bleeding that will not stop needs hospital emergency care now.

How long can a knocked-out tooth survive?

A knocked-out adult tooth needs urgent dental care; do not wait for the practice to reopen. Hold it by the crown, avoid scrubbing the root and keep it in milk. Never reinsert a baby tooth.

Is a lost filling or crown an emergency?

Contact a dentist for advice and arrange an assessment. Keep the area clean, avoid chewing on that side and keep any crown safe. Pain, swelling, bleeding or a recent injury can change the urgency; seek prompt advice rather than relying on pain being absent.