Dental emergencies

A dental emergency is any issue involving your teeth, gums, or mouth that requires prompt treatment to relieve pain, restore function, or prevent further complications. Common dental emergencies we treat include:

• Toothache
• Dental abscess
• Broken or chipped teeth
• Lost fillings
• Crowns or bridges coming off
• Wisdom tooth pain
• Knocked-out teeth
• Bleeding or swollen gums
• Jaw pain

During your emergency appointment, the dentist will assess the problem and provide immediate care to relieve pain or prevent further damage. This may include temporary or permanent treatment, prescribing antibiotics for infection, or advising on next steps if further treatment is required.

Some treatments, such as temporary fillings, re-cementing crowns, or draining an abscess, can often be completed in a single visit. More complex procedures, such as root canal treatment or extractions, may require a follow-up appointment.

Having contacted us and provided as much information as possible, we would book you in for an emergency appointment, where the dentist will fully assess the problem and discuss your options with you.

In many cases, depending on causes and treatment needs, we would hope to resolve the issue at that initial appointment. However, if the situation is more complex or time consuming, it may require subsequent visits. Either way, it is always our aim to alleviate any pain or discomfort that you are experiencing, and to offer a long-term solution to the problem. Where there are various options, these will be fully discussed with you, including costs, so that you can make an informed decision.

If you are already a patient at Caring Dental and we have (full) dental records and up-to-date X-rays of your teeth, it is more likely we will be able to carry out permanent treatment at that first visit. 

If you are new to Caring Dental, it will take more time to assess your dental history and current situation, and to X-ray your teeth if necessary. This may mean further visits are required to complete the recommended treatment. If so, we will book you in for the earliest possible appointment.

The most common dental emergencies are broken teeth, lost fillings or crowns, and pain.

Broken teeth
If you have a broken or chipped tooth, or have lost a filling, this can often be repaired with a new filling.
• Even if just a piece of tooth or filling has broken off, it is useful to bring this to your appointment so the dentist has a better understanding of what has happened.
• Treatment might involve replacing the broken piece, or completely renewing a pre-existing filling. If the tooth is already heavily filled, it may need a crown instead.
• There are also occasions where a root filling (root canal treatment) might be necessary, or if the tooth is unsavable, sometimes an extraction may be the only option. Rest assured, our priority is always to preserve teeth, and in any event we will do whatever is needed to alleviate discomfort, restore function and improve your smile.
• It is very unusual for adults to have a tooth knocked out. If this ever happens, try to avoid touching the root, and after rinsing off any dirt (ideally with milk), put the tooth in some clean milk and contact us immediately. If it is just part of the adult tooth that has broken off, while this does not need to be stored in milk, there is no harm in doing so. Sometimes this broken piece can be reattached to the tooth in the mouth. For more serious injuries, like a possible broken jaw or cheekbone, head straight to A&E.

Broken or lost restorations
If a crown, veneer or bridge loosens, breaks or even falls out, it is important to see a dentist promptly, to prevent further problems or infection.
• If you still have it, please bring the restoration to your appointment, no matter what condition it’s in. It may well be possible to clean the restoration and tooth, and to reattach it.
• Keep the item safe in a small container and bring it to your appointment.
• With bridges, crowns or veneers, please don’t attempt any repairs and never use household glue. Trying to fix things yourself could cause injury, harm your health or damage the restoration.

Dental pain
The other most common emergency is pain. This could be the onset of a minor niggle that needs attention before it worsens, or an intense toothache. We will fully assess the situation to diagnose why you are experiencing pain or discomfort, and recommend a solution. 
• Depending on the cause and extent of the problem, we are often able to carry out some emergency treatment to alleviate pain and restore function. However, it might be necessary to plan some follow-up treatment, which can be booked in as soon as possible.
• Dental pain such as toothache can often be managed with over-the-counter painkillers, to provide some relief before your appointment. Please ensure you don’t exceed the recommended dosage.
• With a dental abscess, a cold compress may help to ease swelling and discomfort. You could try using ice or a bag frozen peas, wrapped in a towel or cloth, held against your face for a few minutes at a time. Cold water held in your mouth, or rinsing with saltwater, can also provide relief.

If your child has a dental emergency, the most important thing is to help them stay calm, and contact us on 01689 664600. You can also book an emergency appointment through our online booking system. If the practice is closed, you can call the NHS 111 helpline for advice or to request an emergency appointment. Simply dial 111 to speak with a health adviser.

If you book an appointment with us, one of our dentists will carefully assess your child’s problem in a friendly, gentle and empathetic manner, reassuring them and explaining what is going to happen next.

We will always do our best to alleviate any pain or discomfort for them at that initial visit, and it may be possible to fully resolve the situation. However, depending on the cause, the extent of the problem and treatment needs, subsequent visits may also be needed.

Children of course have dental emergencies relating to either their baby (‘milk’) teeth or their adult (permanent) teeth, which can make quite a difference to treatment recommendations.

Baby (‘milk’) teeth
The most frequent issue with baby teeth is when they become wobbly, which can be uncomfortable. It is usually preferable to let nature take its course and allow your child to wobble out the tooth in their own time. However, if the tooth is particularly uncomfortable, the dentist might be able to remove it, using topical numbing gel to help make this painless, or perhaps with some local anaesthetic if needed.

Decay in baby teeth often presents as discomfort from food trapping in the cavity, or toothache in general.  Factors such as how old the child is, the extent of decay, and how long before the tooth is naturally lost, will determine if the cavity can be cleaned and filled or whether the tooth should be extracted.

Cavities in children’s teeth occasionally lead to infections or abscesses, which can cause pain and swelling. Under these circumstances it is advised that the tooth should be extracted. As parents, there’s a lot we can do to help our children grow up without tooth decay. You can read more about this on our Homecare and healthy habits page.

Dental pain such as toothache can often be managed with over-the-counter children’s painkillers, to provide some relief before their appointment. Please ensure the recommended dosage isn’t exceeded.

Children are also prone to injuries from falls or sports, such as cut lips and gums, but can also injure and loosen or even knock out a tooth. It is rare to fill a baby tooth if it has become damaged from an injury, but it might simply be smoothed to make it comfortable.

Adult (permanent) teeth
For a child, if an adult tooth gets knocked or injured, it is important to see the dentist urgently. Sometimes the tooth gets moved into a different position, or becomes mobile, as the bone that supports it is relatively soft and flexible. In all cases the tooth will need prompt assessment, usually including an X-ray to determine the best course of action to save the tooth.

Again, as children’s jaw bones are relatively soft and flexible, there are occasions when a child’s adult tooth can be knocked out entirely. It is important for the child to see a dentist urgently, as soon as possible after the injury.  While it is possible for the child, or more likely a parent or adult to replace the tooth into the socket, this can be a daunting and distressing experience and would not be expected.

Ideally the lost tooth should be recovered. Try to avoid touching the root, and after rinsing off any dirt (ideally with milk), put the tooth in some clean milk and contact us immediately. If it is just part of the adult tooth that has broken off, while this does not need to be stored in milk, there is no harm in doing so. Sometimes this broken piece can be reattached to the tooth in the mouth.

Although we can deal with many dental emergencies at the practice, for complex dental injuries it may be necessary to be seen at the hospital. We are fortunate to have King’s Dental Hospital relatively near at Denmark Hill, which has a dedicated unit dealing with children’s dental trauma. If a child has a significant dental trauma outside of normal hours, rather than delay, it is important to call the NHS 111 helpline and they will advise if an out-of-hours appointment can be made at King’s Dental Hospital.

For more serious injuries, like a possible broken jaw or cheekbone, head straight to A&E.

You do not need to be a current patient to make an emergency appointment with us. We just need to add your details to our system before booking your appointment. You can do this by contacting our reception team, or if the practice is closed, new patients can provide their details and book an emergency appointment through our online booking system.