You don’t have to suffer in silence. If you’re having a dental emergency, help is available. If you are registered with a dental practice, call your dentist first. You will either be able to book an emergency appointment, or you will be directed to an out of hours service.
Dental emergencies can strike at any time and leave you in pain and worrying about your oral health. Thankfully, there are always options available to you to get help, even if you have a dental emergency out of hours or during a public holiday.
What do you do when you have a Dental Emergency?
The first thing you should do in a dental emergency is call your dental practice, if you are registered with us call Leigh Dental Centre on 01702 472 929 to arrange an appointment immediately.
Most dentists set aside a few slots every day for emergencies, as they know that not all appointments can be planned. This will be ideal if you are facing an emergency during office hours.
If you have a problem out of hours, still ring your dentist’s number and there should be a message explaining the procedure for out-of-hours treatment. This may involve ringing another dental practice or going through a central emergency triage centre.
If you are worried that you are facing an emergency, you can visit A&E for life-saving support. You should only take this course of action if you think you are facing a life-threatening emergency. If you aren’t sure, you can call 111.
What counts as an emergency?
If you’re worried about bothering your dentist with something that can wait until you can make an appointment, we’d like to put your mind at ease. If you’re in pain or you’re worried about something, this is a dental emergency and we’ll treat it as such.
You may need an emergency dental treatment if you have:
Bleeding after tooth extraction which you cannot control
If you are taking blood-thinning medications such as Warfarin or Aspirin, there is the potential that following an extraction the blood may not clot properly and the socket may continue to bleed. If this is the case, you might have to return to the dental practice so we can place one or two sutures (stitches) in the gum to help keep the wound closed. This will allow it to heal normally and will also stop the bleeding.
If the blood does not clot, there is an increased risk of developing an infection in the socket. This is also known as a dry socket. If this happens it can be extremely painful and may smell and taste quite unpleasant. In this case, the dentist will need to clean the socket out and put an antibacterial dressing in place. You will be advised on the best ways to clean the socket to prevent any further infection.
Trauma of the face, mouth or teeth after a recent accident or injury
If at any time you receive direct trauma to your face, mouth or teeth, there is the potential for damage to occur. It is possible for teeth to become loose, crack or chip, if this is the case it is advisable to see your dentist as soon as possible so a full assessment can be carried out. You might not be able to see the damage as it could have occurred below the gum line, and this will only be visible on an X‑ray. Don’t wait for the problem to become more obvious, seek help straight away.
Toothache or swelling that suggests an infection of a tooth or gum
This is the most common cause of a dental emergency and is most often caused by an infection in the tooth or gum. You will likely have very painful swelling in your cheek and gums. It might be worse when you lie down, which is why most people only experience this kind of dental emergency at night time.
A permanent tooth being knocked out.
If a permanent tooth is knocked out by direct force, it may still be possible to reposition the tooth. Where possible, replace the tooth in the socket immediately and seek dental treatment straight away. If there is the potential for the tooth to be swallowed, keep it in a container of body-temperature milk. Ensure that the milk is not cold, if it is this will shock the tooth and make it unviable. If you are able to visit a dentist quickly, we may be able to save the tooth.
Other dental emergencies could include:
Severe toothache or facial pain which is not controlled by taking over-the-counter painkillers
Severe inflammation of the mouth or face which is getting worse
Our experienced dentist can deal with most emergency treatments in one appointment. However, if more than one visit is required we will arrange a follow-up visit immediately for you.
Out-Of-Hours Dental Emergencies
If you have a problem out of hours please still call the surgery on 01702 472 929 and there will be a message on the answer phone of how you can receive emergency treatment.
Denplan Patients
All our Denplan patients have this service covered under their Denplan Supplemental insurance. For Private patients, there will be a call-out charge and any treatment charged on top of this.
For Denplan patients who are away from home. Please contact the Denplan Emergency line on 0800 844999 if within the UK or +44(0)1962 844999 if abroad. Denplan will then help to find you a suitable dentist within the local area to help you.
Top Dental Emergency Questions Answered
What is classed as a dental emergency?
Dental emergencies can be split into two main groups.
Visible damage to teeth
Teeth can be chipped, cracked or knocked out, crowns can fall out and fillings can be lost. It can happen while you are playing a sport, on a trip or fall or by biting down on something hard such as a nut or something sticky such as toffee. This should be treated with a sense of urgency as there is a risk of further damage from sharp tooth edges.
Pain
Dental pain may be caused by an infection in the tooth or gum or by a cavity or decay exposing the sensitive dentin of the tooth. This is an emergency as it will interfere with your quality of life. It might prevent you from sleeping and you might be unable to go to work because of the pain.
How do I treat a toothache?
If you are suffering from a toothache, rinse your mouth out with warm salty water. Using interdental cleaning aids, clean between your teeth to remove any trapped food. A cold compress placed on the cheek at the side of the toothache can help to reduce the pain as an over-the-counter pain killer. Don’t use a hot compress, as this can make the pain worse.
What do I do if I knock a tooth out?
If a permanent tooth is knocked out by force, with a trip or a fall, it is important that it is replaced into the socket as soon as possible. If the tooth cannot be replaced, keep it within a container of body-temperature milk until dental help can be sought. It is important that you get to a dentist as quickly as possible, the best results are seen when a tooth is replaced into the socket within an hour of the accident.
What do I do if I crack or chip a tooth or lose a filling?
If you crack or chip a tooth, rinse your mouth to remove any remaining loose fragments of teeth preventing you from swallowing them. It is possible to use sugar-free chewing gum to fill the gap caused by a lost filling or chipped tooth as a temporary measure until you can get to an appointment with your dentist. Don’t ignore a missing filling, as this will leave your tooth vulnerable to infection.
What do I do if I have a dental emergency over the festive period?
If you have a dental emergency over the festive period, please ring the surgery on 01296 712264 and the answer phone message will give you details on how to access emergency treatment. We’ll do everything we can to help you manage your dental emergency so that you can get back to enjoying the festive period.
Leigh Dental Centre is open as normal in the week leading up to Christmas. If you have a dental emergency in the days preceding Christmas, please contact the surgery on 01296 712264 and we will endeavour to book you in for treatment as quickly as possible.
If you’re on the fence about whether a situation is an emergency, always err on the side of caution. It’s far easier to get treatment during normal office hours than it is to wait until the night when it will be more complex to secure treatment.
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