Emergencies

I've got toothache!

Emergencies

An emergency service with our dental staff is available 24 hours a day. Patients requiring urgent attention during normal hours will be treated as early as possible. Outside our surgery hours an answerphone on our normal lines will tell you how to contact the dentist on-call. Arrangements for emergency treatment will then be made.
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Take maximum dose of painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Ibuprofen should not be taken if there is a history of stomach ulcers, indigestion, asthma or renal impairment. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions. If you are pregnant, do not take ibuprofen and only take paracetamol as instructed.
Avoid drinks that are too hot or too cold until we have examined your teeth.
Avoid food or drinks that contain sugar.
Avoid hard and tough foods if biting is uncomfortable.

I've knocked out a tooth!
A tooth can be knocked out for a number of reasons: often a blow to the mouth, or an accident involving the face, often during contact sports. It is possible to replace the tooth in the socket successfully if the right action is taken as soon as possible.

If you are bleeding, don't panic. Get a clean handkerchief and fold it up, then hold it over the socket and bite down. Keep your jaws together to apply pressure. If you need something for the pain, don't take any medication containing aspirin as this can encourage further bleeding. Do not apply clove oil to the wound.

If you have the complete tooth it may be possible to replace it. This needs to be done as soon as possible, ideally in under 30 minutes. But teeth have been successfully replaced up to 60 minutes after being knocked out.

Avoid handling the root. If it is very dirty, rinse it with milk and wipe it with a clean cloth. Do not clean it with disinfectant or water or let it dry out.

Hold the tooth by the crown and put it back into the socket firmly, root first. Bite on a clean handkerchief for about 15-20 minutes.

If you can't get the tooth back in it has more chance of survival if you keep it in your cheek until you can get emergency dental treatment. This will keep the tooth in its most natural environment. If this is not possible, keep it in some milk.

It is not a good idea to try and put the tooth back into the socket if it is not complete. Contact your dental surgery as soon as possible and your dentist will tell you what options are available to restore the tooth. You may need dental x-rays to see if there is any root damage.

If you cannot find the tooth, you may have swallowed it. If you think you may have swallowed or inhaled it, you may need an x-ray to be sure of this.