Emergencies

We understand how distressing a dental emergency can be and will do our very best to see you as soon as we can.

Try not to ignore a tooth-related emergency as it can need more complex treatment if not addressed swiftly. We will arrange an emergency appointment to help relieve pain or provide essential treatment.

Out-of-hours emergencies

We use the 24/7 Dentist to provide our out of hours services. If you have an emergency when our practice is closed, call our practice number 01275 332371 and listen to the answer machine for details on who to contact.

What to do if you have a dental emergency

While waiting to receive our attention, the following tips may help to alleviate any discomfort and protect a damaged tooth:

Lost filling – call us and we can talk you through how to use an ‘over-the-counter’ temporary filling to help temporarily seal the tooth.

Lost crown – if the crown is still intact, keep it! We can talk you through how to use an over-the-counter dental cement or sugar-free gum to stick it temporarily in place, but please don’t use superglue!

If your crown is broken, keep all the pieces and cover the cavity in the same way as a lost filling.

Knocked-out tooth – we will be much more likely to save the tooth if you see us quickly, so call us as soon as you can.

Hold the tooth carefully by the crown (the part that would normally be visible in your mouth) and rinse gently with water, being careful not to scrub or remove any little bits of tissue.

Try to put the tooth back in position, making sure it is the right way round. If this is not possible, then place it in some milk (or water containing a pinch of salt).

If you are unsure or not confident to do this yourself, please call and we can help.

Abscess – rinse your mouth with warm, salty water and apply a cold compress to ease any swelling.