In pain right now? What to do today
Message us on WhatsApp or call 0320 830 3535 and tell us what happened, where it hurts and whether there is swelling. We offer same-day appointments for dental emergencies. Until you arrive:
- Take an over-the-counter painkiller exactly as directed on the pack.
- Do not put a painkiller tablet on the gum or tooth. It burns the gum and does not help the pain.
- Rinse with warm salt water and use a cold pack on the outside of the cheek, 15 minutes at a time.
- Avoid chewing on that side, and avoid very hot, cold or sweet food and drinks.
- Gently floss around the tooth in case food is stuck between the teeth.
Go to a hospital emergency department straight away if swelling is spreading to your eye or neck, you have a fever, or you find it hard to swallow or breathe.
Dental emergencies we see the same day
- Severe toothache, or pain that keeps you awake at night
- Swelling of the gum or face, or a suspected abscess
- A broken, chipped or cracked tooth
- A knocked-out tooth: hold it by the white crown, not the root, rinse it gently, and keep it in milk or put it back in the socket. Come in straight away, ideally within an hour. If we are closed, go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
- A lost filling or crown, or a crown that has come loose
- Bleeding or pain after an extraction that is not settling
What is causing your toothache?
The kind of pain gives a clue to the cause, but only an examination and X-ray can confirm it.
- Short, sharp pain with cold or sweet food: often a cavity, a worn filling or exposed root.
- Throbbing pain that lingers, or wakes you at night: often an inflamed or infected nerve.
- Pain when biting down: a cracked tooth, a high filling or infection at the root tip.
- Swollen, bleeding or tender gums: gum disease or a gum infection.
- Pain and swelling at the back of the jaw: often a wisdom tooth coming through.
How we treat tooth pain
We start by finding exactly which tooth is causing the pain and why. You then get a clear plan and the full cost before treatment begins. Depending on the cause, the treatment might be one of these:
Composite filling Root canal treatment Crown for a cracked tooth Scaling for gum problems
Do not wait for the pain to go away
Tooth pain that stops on its own is not always good news. The nerve can die while the infection stays inside the tooth and spreads. Treating a toothache early usually means a smaller, simpler and cheaper treatment, and a better chance of keeping your natural tooth.