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Out of Hours Service

Dental emergencies

Dental emergencies, by their very nature, are unpredictable.

Our aim is to see genuine emergencies in 24 hours or less.

In the unfortunate event that you are in pain or need urgent dental care, please phone our practice as early as you can to arrange an appointment.





Out of hours help

After Hour Emergencies

During times when our practice is closed, such as evenings, weekends and public holidays, we participate in the Local Area Emergency Dental Clinic.

Emergency contacts
Please listen to our out of hours telephone recording for more information on out of hours emergency dental care arrangements.

What to do if you are in pain
If you are experiencing pain but there is no facial swelling, you should purchase painkillers from the chemist and follow their advice, especially if you are currently taking other medication or suffer from conditions such as asthma, stomach ulcers, etc.

You should also avoid hot, cold or hard food which may make the pain worse.

Pain with swelling
Pain and swelling could indicate an abscess or infection- especially if it is severe or you feel sick, have a temperature, or the swelling is affecting the way you swallow or breathe. If this is the case, please attend your local accident and emergency department immediately.

Contact your dentist and make an appointment as soon as possible.

Dental advice for emergencies

What to do if...

You have a loose or dislodged crown or bridge

If you have a loose or dislodged crown or bridge do NOT attempt to fix it with super glue.

If the crown is from the back of your mouth, leave it out and keep it in a safe place until you can arrange an appointment.

If the crown is from the front of your mouth you can buy special temporary cement from some chemists. Denture fixture (e.g. Polygrip) can also be used to hold it in place for a short period of time. Do NOT eat or sleep with your crown in place if it is being held in place this way

Your denture breaks

If your denture breaks Don’t Panic!

Gather all the pieces and keep them safe because we may be able to fix it. However, we may need to take impressions and send the broken denture to the Laboratory for repair.

If your mouth is bleeding after an extraction

If the socket is only bleeding or oozing slightly, you can place a clean handkerchief/gauze pad over the socket and apply pressure by biting down for 15-20 minutes.

If the bleeding is heavy you may need urgent care. In this case, apply pressure to the socket as described above and attend the local casualty department as soon as possible.

If a tooth has been broken

If you have fallen and broken a tooth or you are concerned about other injuries, go to the hospital accident and emergency department immediately.

If you broke your tooth eating or because of a lost filling, take care as the tooth may have sharp edges that may cut your tongue or cheek. It may also be sensitive to hot and cold temperatures, so avoid them if you can.

Some chemists have temporary filling pastes that can be used to reduce pain until you can see your dentist.

If a tooth has been knocked out

If it is a permanent/second/adult tooth it is important to take special care with it so your dentist can re-implant it.

To keep your adult tooth safe:
Hold it by the crown and not the pointed root.
Rinse it with water or milk but do NOT scrub or touch the root.
Gently push the tooth back into the socket, making sure it is the correct way round.
Bite on a clean handkerchief to hold the tooth in place.
Attend your dentist or hospital emergency department immediately (you may need a tetanus booster).
If you can’t put the tooth back in its socket, place it in a cup of milk. Do NOT let it dry out.
DO NOT try to re-implant baby teeth.

Local Area Dental Clinic

In the evenings, weekends and public holidays we participate in local area emergency dental care rotas.

Please listen to our out of hours telephone recording for more information on out of hours emergency dental care arrangements in your local area.

The service is for genuine emergencies only such as:
Trauma
Swelling
Bleeding
Severe pain

If you normally pay for your dental treatment there is a charge for this service.