Dental Emergencies

Is It A&E or the Dentist?

Most dental emergencies are best treated by a dentist, who can find the cause and deal with it at the same visit. A&E can't usually treat the tooth itself. Go to A&E or call 999 if:

• Swelling is affecting your breathing or swallowing, or you can't open your mouth
• Swelling is spreading quickly, or towards your eye or down your neck
• Bleeding won't stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure
• You've had a serious injury to your face or jaw, were knocked out, or may have broken your jaw

For everything else, including a knocked-out tooth, a broken tooth, a lost crown, toothache and a swelling that isn't spreading, call us on 0141 248 1183. We keep same-day emergency appointments Monday to Friday for patients and non-patients. If you're not sure whether it's an emergency, call and we'll tell you.

Knocked-Out Adult Tooth

Time matters most. A tooth put back within the hour has the best chance of surviving.

• Hold it by the crown, the white part, not the root
• If it's dirty, rinse it briefly in milk, or in water if there's no milk. Don't scrub it, and don't let it dry out
• Push it back into the socket if you can, the right way round, and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it
• If you can't put it back, keep it in milk, or tucked inside your cheek if you're an adult and can manage not to swallow it
• Call us straight away and get seen within the hour

Baby teeth shouldn't be put back, because they can damage the adult tooth forming underneath, but a child with a knocked tooth should still be seen the same day. A tooth that's been knocked loose or pushed out of position, rather than out completely, also needs to be seen quickly so it can be repositioned and held in place.

Broken Tooth or Lost Filling

Keep any pieces, and rinse your mouth with warm water. If the gum is bleeding, press on it with a clean cloth. A sharp edge can be covered with sugar-free chewing gum, or orthodontic wax from a pharmacy, so it doesn't cut your tongue or cheek. Avoid very hot, cold or sweet food and drink, which set off an exposed tooth, and chew on the other side.

A small chip can often be smoothed or repaired with bonding in one visit. A larger break, or a lost filling, is usually dressed with a temporary filling, £70, to settle the tooth, and then restored with a filling, onlay or crown. If the break has reached the nerve, the tooth may need root canal treatment to save it. Our guide to crowns, onlays and fillings explains the options.

Lost Crown

Keep the crown safe and bring it with you. Don't glue it back yourself: household glues damage the tooth and the crown, and a crown put back crooked can fracture the tooth underneath. If the tooth is sensitive, rub a little sensitive toothpaste on it, and you can cover it with sugar-free gum or a temporary dental cement from a pharmacy, following the pack instructions, until you're seen.

If the crown is intact and the tooth underneath is sound, it can usually be cleaned and re-cemented at your appointment. If the tooth has decayed or broken inside the crown, you'll need a new one, and we'll explain the options and fees before anything is done. The same applies to a bridge, onlay or inlay that has come loose.

Severe Toothache

Take ordinary painkillers as directed on the packet. Don't exceed the dose, and don't put a painkiller directly on the gum, which burns it. Avoid very hot, cold or sweet food and drink, keep your head raised when you lie down, and rinse gently with warm salt water. Then call us for an appointment.

At the appointment we find the cause with an examination and, where needed, an X-ray, and the aim is to get you out of pain at that visit: usually a dressing, a temporary filling, easing an infection or starting root canal treatment. Antibiotics alone don't fix toothache, because they don't treat the cause, and they're only needed if infection is spreading or you feel unwell. Our out-of-hours toothache guide covers what to do at night or the weekend.

Swelling or an Abscess

A swelling in the gum, or a small spot that leaks when pressed, is usually an abscess from an infected tooth or gum. It needs treating, but it isn't usually a 999 emergency. Call us the same day. Hold a cold compress against the outside of your face to ease the swelling, keep your head raised, and don't try to burst it. Painkillers help, and so does rinsing with warm salt water.

If swelling is spreading quickly, affecting your breathing, swallowing or eye, or you feel generally unwell with a high temperature, don't wait for us: go to A&E or call 999. Dental infections can spread into the face and neck, and those need hospital treatment.

Bleeding

After an extraction, some oozing for a few hours is normal. If it's bleeding more than that, bite firmly on a clean, damp gauze or a folded tissue for 20 minutes, sit upright, and don't rinse, spit or poke the socket. If it continues after that, or you're swallowing blood, call us. A cut to the lip, tongue or gum from a fall usually stops with firm pressure for a few minutes; if it won't stop, or the cut is deep or gaping, go to A&E, because it may need stitches.

Same Day, and Out of Hours

Call 0141 248 1183 as early as you can, from 9am, Monday to Friday. We keep same-day emergency appointments for patients and non-patients. An emergency appointment is £70, or free for dental plan members, and any further treatment, such as a temporary filling or the first stage of root canal treatment, is explained and priced before it's done.² New patients can also book an emergency appointment online; existing patients log in to the patient portal first, then book.

We're open Monday 9 to 5, Tuesday 9 to 5.30, Wednesday 9 to 6, Thursday 9 to 7.30 and Friday 9 to 5, and closed at weekends. Out of hours, dental plan members have cover included in their plan. Everyone else can call NHS 24 on 111 for advice and urgent care. For pain or swelling, call rather than message, because WhatsApp replies come during opening hours.

Questions

This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.