Most people call a dental practice apologising for bothering them. Some of those callers should have rung two days earlier. Here is a straight guide to which is which.
Call today
Swelling in the face, jaw or gum. This is the one that matters most. Swelling means infection, and infection in the mouth can move. If the swelling is spreading, if it is closing your eye, or if you are having trouble swallowing or breathing, that is a hospital emergency department rather than a dental practice.
Pain that stops you sleeping or working. Toothache that ordinary painkillers are not touching usually means the nerve is involved, and it very rarely settles on its own. When it is, a root canal is usually what settles it.
A knocked-out adult tooth. This one is a genuine race. Handle the tooth by the crown rather than the root, keep it in milk or in your own saliva, and phone straight away. The chances of saving it drop by the hour.
Bleeding that will not stop, particularly after an extraction. Bite firmly on clean gauze for twenty minutes without checking it. If it is still going, call.
Call this week
A broken or chipped tooth that is not painful. Keep any pieces, avoid chewing on that side, and get it looked at soon. A crack that is not hurting today is still a crack, and it usually gets worse rather than better. A tooth like that is often protected with a crown to stop the crack spreading.
A lost filling or crown with no pain. The tooth underneath is exposed and will be sensitive, but it is not urgent. Keep the crown if you still have it, we can often re-cement it.
A sore spot from a denture. Do not soldier on with it. It is a quick adjustment and it is included.
Can wait for a routine appointment
Sensitivity to cold that passes in a second or two. A slightly loose baby tooth. Staining. A rough edge that is bothering your tongue but not cutting it. Book these normally.
What to do while you wait
For pain, ordinary painkillers taken at the correct dose and interval do more than most people give them credit for. For swelling, a cold compress on the outside of the face. Do not put an aspirin against the gum, which is an old piece of advice that burns the tissue and helps nothing.
Avoid very hot and very cold food and drink, and chew on the other side.
How to reach us
We are open Monday to Friday and keep emergency slots open through the day. Phone rather than booking online, because the front desk can triage what you describe and get you in faster than a form can. If you call outside our hours, leave a message and we will pick it up when we open.
If it is a facial swelling that is spreading, or you are struggling to breathe or swallow, do not wait for us. Go to an emergency department.