URGENT
Dentist or NHS 111
For severe pain, swelling, a broken filling or bleeding after an extraction, the NHS says ask a dentist for an urgent appointment or get advice from NHS 111.
Check a problemDental trouble rarely waits for office hours.
NHS guidance sorts mouth and tooth problems into three routes: a dentist or NHS 111 for most urgent problems, A&E or 999 for a few serious ones, and a pharmacist for advice while you wait. Here is how the guidance draws the lines.
Updated
Check a problemTHE SHORT ANSWER
Most problems go
to a dentist.
Your own dentist first, NHS 111 if you have none.
A&E only for the serious signs below.
KNOCKED-OUT TOOTH
Act within the hour
Hold an adult tooth by the crown, rinse it if dirty and try to put it back, or keep it in milk or saliva. Never put a baby tooth back in.
The NHS steps
WHILE YOU WAIT
Ask a pharmacist
A pharmacist can advise on painkillers and on toothache, sore gums, a lost filling or crown, and ulcers under 2 weeks old.
See the timingsGeneral information only, not medical advice. For advice about your own health, speak to a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified health professional.
A QUICK SYMPTOM CHECK
How urgent
is it?
Pick a problem to see where NHS guidance points. The bar shows how urgent the guidance treats it. If you are not sure, the NHS says to call 111.
Based on NHS.uk pages on emergency dental care, toothache, knocked-out teeth and chipped teeth. General information only, not dental advice.
TWO TIMINGS WORTH KNOWING
How soon
you should be seen.
NHS guidance sets out how quickly urgent
dental care should be offered.
1 hour
Emergency care for an adult tooth
If you have knocked out an adult tooth, the NHS says you should be offered emergency dental care within 1 hour, or as soon as possible.
KNOCKED-OUT TOOTH · NHS
24h–7 days
Other urgent dental treatment
For other urgent problems, the NHS says you should be offered urgent dental treatment within 24 hours or 7 days, depending on your symptoms.
URGENT CARE · NHS
Most adults pay for NHS dental appointments, including urgent ones. NHS dental treatment is free for some people, such as under-18s and those pregnant or who have had a baby in the past 12 months.
THE NHS STEPS FOR A KNOCKED-OUT TOOTH
Save the tooth,
then see a dentist.
The NHS says you can usually save a knocked-out adult tooth by putting it back in place, or in milk, as soon as possible. These are its steps, in order.
Hold it by the crown
Pick the tooth up by the white part that sticks out of the gum. Do not touch the root.
Rinse only if dirty
If the tooth is dirty, rinse it gently in milk, saline or saliva.
Put it back, or in milk
Try to put it back in the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth. If it will not go in, keep it in milk or saliva. Never put a baby tooth back in.
Get an emergency appointment
Call a dentist straight away. If you have no dentist or they are closed, call 111 for advice on where to go.
WHY NOT THE GP?
The wrong door
for teeth.
NHS pages on toothache, abscesses and broken teeth all say the same thing: do not go to a GP surgery, because a GP cannot give dental treatment. A dental abscess, for example, will not go away on its own and needs urgent treatment by a dentist.
If your dentist is closed, their answerphone may say what to do. If you have no dentist, the NHS suggests calling 111 or searching for a dentist near you and asking for an emergency appointment.
Questions
Questions people ask
What if I am not registered with a dentist?
The NHS says you can contact any NHS dentist and ask for an appointment. For urgent problems, NHS 111 can tell you where to get help. Filling in a form at a practice does not guarantee future NHS care there.
When should I go to A&E with a dental problem?
NHS guidance lists serious face or jaw injuries, heavy bleeding from the mouth that will not stop, severe swelling with difficulty breathing or opening an eye, and head or face injuries causing loss of consciousness, vomiting or double vision.
Can a pharmacist help with toothache?
Yes, for advice. The NHS says a pharmacist can advise on painkillers while you wait for a dental appointment, and on toothache, sore or bleeding gums, a lost filling or crown and recent mouth ulcers.
Should I put a knocked-out baby tooth back in?
No. The NHS says never put a baby tooth back in, as it could damage the adult tooth growing underneath. Still ask for an emergency dental appointment.
Do I have to pay for emergency dental care?
Most adults pay for NHS dental appointments, including urgent ones. Some people get NHS dental treatment free, including children under 18 and people on some benefits.
Sources
Where the facts come from
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