Dental Emergency Guide: What to Do When You Can't Get an NHS Appointment

Last updated: January 2026. This guide covers what constitutes a dental emergency, step-by-step actions for common scenarios, and how to access urgent care in the UK.

A dental emergency can strike at any moment—severe toothache at midnight, a knocked-out tooth during a Sunday football match, or sudden facial swelling. With NHS dental access at crisis levels, knowing exactly what to do can mean the difference between saving a tooth and losing it.

This comprehensive guide explains what counts as a dental emergency, provides step-by-step first aid for common scenarios, and shows you exactly how to get the urgent care you need.

What Counts as a Dental Emergency?

Not every dental problem requires emergency care. Understanding the difference helps you get appropriate treatment faster.

True Dental Emergencies (Seek Help Immediately)

Urgent But Not Emergency (Contact Dentist Within Days)

• Minor chip or crack without pain
• Lost filling or crown (manageable with temporary cement)
• Loose dentures or bridges
• Mild toothache responding to painkillers

"You should seek urgent dental care if you have severe tooth or mouth pain affecting your sleep or daily activities, and it is not being helped by painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen." — NHS.uk

Step-by-Step: Knocked-Out Tooth

A knocked-out permanent tooth is a time-critical emergency. With proper handling, it can often be successfully reimplanted—but you have roughly 60 minutes for the best outcome.

Immediate Actions (Do This Now)

1. Find the tooth and pick it up by the white crown only—never touch the root
2. Do NOT clean it—avoid washing, scrubbing, or using any chemicals
3. Try to reimplant it by gently pushing it back into the socket, ensuring it faces the right way
4. Bite down gently on a clean cloth to hold it in place
5. Seek emergency dental care immediately

If You Cannot Reimplant the Tooth

Keep the tooth alive by placing it in one of these (in order of preference):

1. Milk (best option readily available)
2. Saliva (spit into a clean container and place tooth inside)
3. Saline solution if available

"Do everything you can to put the tooth back into the mouth that it has come from. If possible, put it back into the socket ensuring it is the right way round." — NHS.uk

Critical Warning: Never let the tooth dry out. Never use water to store it. Never use household chemicals like bleach to "clean" it—this causes irreparable damage.

Getting Emergency Care

• Call NHS 111 immediately
• You should be offered emergency dental care within 1 hour for a knocked-out adult tooth
• If attending A&E, bring the tooth with you in milk

Step-by-Step: Severe Toothache

Toothache can range from mild discomfort to debilitating pain. Here's how to manage it while seeking care.

When It's an Emergency

Seek same-day urgent care if your toothache:

• Does NOT respond to over-the-counter painkillers
• Prevents you from sleeping or eating
• Is accompanied by fever, facial swelling, or bad taste
• Causes visible swelling in your face, jaw, or neck

Pain Management While Waiting

Safe Pain Relief:

• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen at recommended doses
• Alternate between them if needed (take paracetamol, then ibuprofen 2 hours later)
• Apply pain-relieving gel (available from pharmacies) directly to the area
• Children under 16 should NOT take aspirin

Home Remedies That Help:

• Salt water rinse: Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in warm water, rinse for 30 seconds, spit out
• Cold compress: Hold against your cheek for 15-20 minutes
• Elevate your head: Severe toothache often feels worse when lying flat—use extra pillows

Dietary Adjustments:

• Eat soft foods: soup, yogurt, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs
• Avoid very hot, very cold, or sweet foods
• Chew on the opposite side of your mouth

"Take painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. You can also use pain-relieving gel for your mouth, which you can get from pharmacies or supermarkets." — NHS.uk

What to Avoid

• Do NOT smoke—makes dental problems worse
• Do NOT apply aspirin directly to gums—causes burns
• Do NOT ignore worsening symptoms—seek help if pain escalates

Step-by-Step: Dental Abscess

A dental abscess is a collection of pus caused by bacterial infection. It will NOT go away on its own and requires urgent professional treatment.

Recognising an Abscess

When to Call 999 or Go to A&E

Call 999 immediately if you have:

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Swelling affecting both sides of your face
• Rapidly spreading swelling
• Difficulty opening your mouth (trismus)
• Swelling under your tongue (floor of mouth)
• High fever with severe facial swelling

"A dental abscess needs urgent treatment by a dentist. It will not go away on its own." — NHS.uk

Managing Until You See a Dentist

• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain
• Do NOT stop taking antibiotics early if prescribed
• Rinse with warm salt water (helps draw infection)
• Eat soft foods and avoid chewing on affected side
• Do NOT press or squeeze the swelling

Important Note About Antibiotics:

Antibiotics alone cannot treat an abscess—the infection needs to be physically drained by a dentist. Repeated courses of antibiotics without drainage are ineffective and contribute to antibiotic resistance.

"Repeated antibiotics alone, without drainage, are ineffective in preventing spread of infection." — NHS England Clinical Guidance

Step-by-Step: Broken or Chipped Tooth

The urgency of a broken tooth depends on the severity and whether you're experiencing pain.

Minor Chip (Not an Emergency)

• Book a regular dental appointment
• The dentist can smooth the edge or apply a filling
• Keep the area clean with gentle brushing

Significant Break

If you have a large piece broken off, exposed nerves, or severe pain:

1. Save the broken piece in milk or saliva—dentists may be able to reattach it
2. Rinse your mouth gently with warm water
3. Apply dental wax or sugar-free gum over sharp edges to protect your cheek/tongue
4. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain
5. Contact NHS 111 for urgent dental advice

"If your tooth is badly broken, get advice from NHS 111 online or call 111." — NHS.uk

Step-by-Step: Lost Filling or Crown

A lost filling or crown is rarely a true emergency but can be painful due to exposed tooth tissue.

Temporary Solutions (Until You See a Dentist)

For a lost crown:

1. Clean the inside of the crown gently
2. Apply dental cement (available from pharmacies) or denture adhesive inside
3. Press the crown back onto the tooth
4. Bite down gently to seat it properly

For a lost filling:

1. Apply dental cement directly to the cavity to seal and protect it
2. Avoid chewing on that side

"Do not use household glues—they are not safe to put in your mouth and can damage the tooth and crown." — NHS 111 Wales

When to Seek Urgent Care:

• Severe, persistent pain
• Sharp edges cutting your tongue or cheek
• Signs of infection (swelling, fever)

Step-by-Step: Bleeding After Extraction

Some bleeding after tooth extraction is normal. Here's how to tell if it needs attention.

Normal vs Concerning Bleeding

How to Control Bleeding

1. Roll up clean gauze (or a clean cotton handkerchief)
2. Place over the socket and bite down firmly
3. Maintain pressure for 30 minutes without checking
4. Repeat for another 30 minutes if still bleeding
5. Do NOT disturb, poke, or rinse away the blood clot

"The clot is essential for healing—there is nothing better you can put in its place." — UCL Hospitals NHS

Avoid aspirin for pain relief after extraction—it can increase bleeding. Use paracetamol instead.

Seek Help If:

• Bleeding continues after 1 hour of firm pressure
• You feel lightheaded or have excessive blood loss
• You notice signs of infection

How to Access Urgent Dental Care

Step 1: Call NHS 111 (Available 24/7)

NHS 111 is your primary gateway to urgent dental care in the UK.

How it works:

1. Call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk
2. A call handler takes your details
3. You're transferred to a dental triage team
4. Based on your symptoms, they provide advice or book an urgent appointment

"If you cannot contact your dentist or you do not have one, contact NHS 111. They can advise you what to do and help you find an NHS urgent dental service or out-of-hours service." — NHS.uk

Step 2: Contact Your Regular Dentist (If You Have One)

Many dental practices:

• Keep emergency slots for urgent cases
• Have arrangements for out-of-hours emergencies
• Can provide same-day advice by phone

Call your dentist first if you're registered with them.

Step 3: When to Go to A&E

Only go to A&E for:

• Uncontrollable bleeding
• Facial trauma with suspected jaw fracture
• Severe swelling affecting breathing or swallowing
• Signs of serious infection spreading

A&E cannot typically treat:

• Toothache (even severe)
• Routine dental problems
• Lost fillings or crowns

"Most general hospitals do not have on-call dental service for dental pain. For dental pain, visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111 instead." — NHS.uk

What NOT to Do

• Do NOT contact your GP—they cannot provide dental care
• Do NOT delay if symptoms are worsening rapidly
• Do NOT attempt DIY dentistry with household tools or chemicals

How Much Does Emergency Dental Care Cost?

NHS Emergency Treatment

NHS charges in England effective from April 2025. Updated annually.

"NHS dental charges increased by 2.35% from 1st April 2025." — NHS BSA

Private Emergency Costs

If you can't access NHS emergency care:

Private emergency fees are significantly higher—4 to 11 times more than NHS rates.

Free Emergency Treatment

You qualify for free NHS dental treatment if you:

• Are under 18 (or under 19 in full-time education)
• Are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months
• Receive Income Support, income-based JSA, or income-related ESA
• Receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• Receive Universal Credit with earnings £435 or less (£935 if you have child element)
• Hold a valid HC2 certificate (NHS Low Income Scheme)

"Urgent dental treatment costs £27.40 unless you are entitled to free NHS dental treatment." — NHS.uk

The NHS Dental Access Crisis: What You Need to Know

Accessing NHS dental care has become increasingly difficult. Understanding the current situation helps you navigate the system more effectively.

Current Statistics

• 10% fewer adults accessed NHS dentistry in 2025 compared to 2019
• One in four patients who tried to see an NHS dentist were unable to
• NHS 111 dental enquiries increased by 20% in 2025
• Some patients making 15+ calls without finding available urgent care

"Between July and September 2025, NHS 111 online enquiry volumes about dental issues were around 20% higher than the same period the previous year." — Healthwatch England

Government Response

The government announced 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments in February 2025, rolling out from April 2025. However, implementation has been slow in some areas.

Access these additional appointments through:

• Your regular dental practice (if registered)
• NHS 111 (if you don't have a dentist)

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I go to A&E for severe toothache?

No. A&E cannot typically treat toothache as most hospitals don't have dental facilities. Call NHS 111 instead—they can direct you to an urgent dental service that can actually help.

Can I get antibiotics for a dental abscess from my GP?

GPs are increasingly reluctant to prescribe antibiotics for dental infections because antibiotics alone cannot treat an abscess—it needs physical drainage by a dentist. Call NHS 111 to access urgent dental care.

What should I do if I knock out a baby tooth?

Do NOT try to reimplant a baby tooth—this can damage the developing adult tooth underneath. Control any bleeding with gentle pressure and see a dentist within a day or two to check for other damage.

How long can I wait with a knocked-out adult tooth?

The ideal window is under 60 minutes. After 2 hours, the chances of successful reimplantation drop significantly. Act immediately—call NHS 111 while keeping the tooth in milk.

Is toothache at night worse than during the day?

Yes, this is common. Lying flat increases blood pressure to the head, which can intensify dental pain. Elevate your head with extra pillows and take appropriate painkillers.

Can I use superglue to reattach a crown?

Absolutely not. Superglue and other household adhesives are toxic and can damage both the crown and your tooth. Use dental cement from a pharmacy or denture adhesive as temporary measures only.

What if I can't afford private emergency dental care?

Apply for the NHS Low Income Scheme using form HC1—you may qualify for free or reduced-cost care even if you're not on benefits. In a genuine emergency, NHS 111 must help you access care regardless of ability to pay.

Emergency Contacts Quick Reference

Finding Emergency Dental Care Near You

When you need urgent dental treatment, time matters. Use our search to find emergency dentists in your area who can see you quickly.

Whether you're dealing with severe pain, a knocked-out tooth, or worrying symptoms, getting professional care is always the safest choice. Don't delay seeking help—dental emergencies can worsen rapidly without treatment.