If you’ve ever experienced toothache then you will know how painful it can be. The pain can often be made worse by the fact that your regular dentist is not open for appointments, leaving you wondering what to do. If it’s an evening, weekend or during the holidays, regular dental practices are generally closed, however, some will offer out of hours or urgent appointments or give further details of who to contact on their voicemail. Before you consider finding an emergency dentist appointment, it is worth knowing if it is a real emergency or if there is something you can do to treat the problem at home, at least in the interim until your regular dental practice re-opens. 

When to see an emergency dentist 

• If you are in severe dental pain – this means pain that does not go away when you take painkillers, or is accompanied by swelling of the cheek or jaw. You may also have a high temperature, indicating that the tooth or gums have become infected. If your eyes or neck are also swollen or the swelling is making it difficult for you to breathe, you are advised to go to A&E. 

• If you have knocked out a tooth – whether it was an accident or caused by impact, seeing a dentist sooner rather than later may mean the tooth can be saved. 

• If you are bleeding uncontrollably from the mouth – bleeding that won’t stop is a sure sign that you need to book in with an emergency dentist.  

When it’s not considered a dental emergency 

• If you are experiencing toothache, but it comes and goes or improves with painkillers and is not causing any swelling or high temperatures, it can wait until you can get an appointment with your dentist. 

• If you have cracked or chipped your tooth. Unless there are very sharp edges that remain in your mouth or you are in a lot of pain, this can usually wait until you can get a routine appointment. 

• If you have a missing filling or crown. If you have bitten down on something hard and dislodged a filling or crown, though it is not considered a dental emergency, your dentist may still be able to see you as a priority to ensure that further damage is not caused by the tooth being exposed. 

How to care for dental pain and issues at home 

If you are suffering from toothache or a broken tooth but it is not an emergency, there are a few things you can try to ease your discomfort whilst you wait for an appointment with your dentist. 

For a cracked tooth: 

• Clean the affected area with warm water. 
• Use a cold compress against your cheek to reduce swelling around the affected tooth. 
• Take over the counter painkillers to soothe the pain. 

For a broken tooth: 

• Clean the affected area in your mouth with warm water. 
• Where possible minimise exposure to the tooth and keep air, germs and liquids away from it. 
• Use a cold compress on your face by the affected tooth to help reduce swelling. 

For toothache: 

• Clean the affected area with warm water, you can also use warm salty water to help control and calm infection. 
• Use a cold compress against your face to ease swelling. 
• Take over the counter painkillers to soothe the pain. 
• Avoid overly hot or cold foods and drinks to minimise added pain from sensitivity. 

Booking an appointment with an emergency dentist 

If you have determined that you have a dental emergency, you can call your regular dentist, or any other dentist close by, as you don’t have to be registered to be seen in an emergency. Most practices keep appointments open for emergencies and some will even see you out of hours.  

Depending on the severity of the issue and how long it will take to fix, the emergency dentist may have to take temporary measures to reduce your pain and discomfort before booking you in for treatment at a later date to resolve the issue. 

It can be quite scary when you are experiencing dental pain or trauma, but knowing whether it is an emergency or not and who to contact can help you to feel more relaxed.  

Dentalia is a dental practice offering a wide range of treatments to adults and children including the provision of an emergency dentist in Basingstoke. More information and appointment booking can be found on their website www.dentalia.co.uk.