Dental Emergency

Emergency Treatment over the Festive period

Published on 14/12/2016

Here at Leigh Dental Centre we will be open a usually until Friday 23rd December so should you have any problems in the run up to Christmas please ring the surgery on 01702 472929 and we will endeavour to fit you in as quickly as possible. We have a number of emergency slots available each day and these are filled on a first come first served basis.

Over Christmas we will be closed from the 24th December to the 27th December and the 31st December to 2nd January. Should you have a dental emergency whilst the surgery is closed if you are an NHS patient please call 111, if you are a Denplan patient please call 0800 844 900. We will be open between Christmas and New Year opening at 8.15am each morning and closing at 5pm on 28th December, 6pm on 29th December and 2pm on 30th December.

Our dentists have put together some tips to help deal with some common dental emergencies should you have a problem over the festive period:

  • For a knocked out permanent tooth, try to replace the tooth straight back in the socket, being careful not to touch the root. If not possible, place in a container of body temperature milk and then get to the dentist straight away. The tooth has the greatest chance of survival if it is replanted within an hour of the accident.
  • For a cracked tooth, rinse your mouth with warm water to remove any tooth particles that may have broken away and place a cold compress on your cheek to reduce any swelling.
  • For toothaches, rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it and then use interdental cleaning aids to remove any food that may have become trapped between your teeth, as this may be making the problem worse. A cold compress and over the counter painkillers can help to alleviate the pain.
  • If you get something stuck between your teeth, do not try and remove it with a sharp or pointed object as this can cause damage to the teeth and gums. Be sure to use a dedicated interdental cleaning aid such as floss or interdental brushes.

There are a number of simple precautions you can take to reduce the chance of a dental emergency:

1. Wear a mouth guard when participating in sports

2. Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy as these can cause teeth to crack

3. Use scissors to cut things, not your teeth

4. Most importantly attend for regular dental appointments so that any problems can be identified early, reducing the risk of a dental emergency.

All the team at Leigh Dental Centre would like to wish all their patients a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you all in 2017. However, should you have a dental emergency over the festive period call on 01702 472929for help and advice.

Our blog

Related news from the practice

Read all news