Patients who are currently under treatment can access emergency appointments during our normal open hours across all our facilities.
If you are currently under treatment and require an emergency appointment, please contact the facility that you attended for your treatment:
Plymouth – 0345 155 8109
Exeter – 01392 346303
Truro – 01872 258100
If you require an emergency appointment out of our normal working hours, please call NHS 111
If you are not a current patient and you require emergency treatment, please contact 03330 063300 or email accessdentalhelpline@nhs.net
What is a dental emergency?
A dental emergency means you require urgent assistance for severe pain in your mouth. This could be caused by a number of things such as infection and dental injury. Common emergency dental problems include severe tooth decay, dental abscesses and knocked-out teeth. Some instances, like lost fillings, chipped veneers, or broken dental appliances, while extremely inconvenient — do not constitute an emergency.
How quickly can I be seen?
Very often we will have same-day appointments for emergency cases, so please phone as early in the day as possible to let us know you have a problem.
How soon we will be able to see you will depend on your type of emergency. We will always offer advice and guidance within 24 hours and aim to get you a face to face appointment as soon as possible.
Do you have any facial swelling?
Please contact us straight away and we will arrange for you to be seen. If you are experiencing this out of hours please call 111 or if the swelling is affecting your breathing, restricting your swallowing or extending to your eye, attend your nearest A&E.
Are you in pain?
If you have toothache that is causing you severe pain, is keeping you awake at night or lasts more than two days, you should call us. You should call us straight away if you also have a high temperature, pain when biting down or swelling in your mouth. In the first two days, and/or if you’re waiting for your emergency appointment, there are a few things you can do to ease the pain. If you have a toothache:
- Take painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen to ease the pain (always ensure that you follow the directions on the packet)
- Avoid eating and drinking things that make it worse like very hot or cold food and drink
- Be careful when eating as putting too much pressure on your tooth can make it worse
Have you suffered trauma to your teeth?
Please contact us as soon as possible for advice if you have suffered trauma to your teeth or if your tooth is broken or fractured.
If you’ve knocked out a tooth make sure you call us as soon as possible. If you knock out a tooth, make sure you:
- Pick the tooth up carefully by the top of the tooth. Never touch the root of your tooth
- Rinse the tooth with water if it’s fallen on the ground or on a surface outside your mouth
- Try and reinsert your tooth back into its socket, to keep the root protected. Hold it in place by using soft fabric or by gently biting down. If you can’t reinsert it, place your tooth in a glass of milk to preserve the root
Have you had a tooth taken out and it won’t stop bleeding?
If you have had a tooth taken out it is common to experience discomfort up to 2 days afterwards.
It is normal to experience slight ooze of blood following a tooth extraction and this can make your saliva appear pink or red.
Avoid excessive spitting or vigorous rinsing in the first 24 hours after the extraction.
Please rest as much as possible over the next 2-3 hours whilst the clot forms in the socket.
If bleeding restarts, soak one of the bite packs provided with clean water and squeeze out excess water before biting on it for 20 minutes. If these are not available, roll up a clean handkerchief, place it over the socket and bite down for at least 20 minutes. If the bleeding continues, you should contact us for further advice.
Top tips for preventing a dental emergency
- Brush your teeth for 2 minutes twice a day with Fluoride toothpaste.
- Wear a mouth guard when playing contact sports or extreme activities.
- Register with dentist for regular check-ups, so they can identify whether there are any problems with your oral health.
- To place your name on the NHS dentist wait list please contact 03330 063300 or email accessdental.helpline@nhs.net