In a dental emergency, do 2 things. First, decide if you need 999 or a dentist. Second, protect the tooth or the wound until you are seen. This page explains what to do for each common problem, step by step.
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have swelling in your mouth, face or neck and find it hard to breathe, swallow or speak, if swelling is closing your eye, if bleeding from your mouth will not stop, or if you have a serious injury to your face or jaw.
For everything else, call a dentist or NHS 111. NHS 111 works 24 hours a day and can book you an urgent NHS appointment. To find a practice near you, use our emergency dentist London directory.
Knocked-out adult tooth
This is the most urgent dental problem. The NHS aims to see you within 1 hour. The sooner the tooth goes back in, the better the chance of saving it.
- Find the tooth. Pick it up by the white part (the crown). Do not touch the root.
- If it is dirty, rinse it gently in milk, saline (salt water for contact lenses or wounds) or the person’s own saliva. Do not scrub it. Do not use tap water.
- Try to push it gently back into the gap in the gum, the right way round.
- If it goes back in easily, bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it in place.
- If it will not go back in, keep it in a small container of milk. If you have no milk, spit into a cup and keep the tooth in the saliva. Do not let it dry out.
- Call a dentist or NHS 111 straight away. Say that an adult tooth has been knocked out.
Do not put a baby tooth back in. It can damage the adult tooth growing underneath. Still take your child to a dentist the same day, to check for other damage.
Broken or chipped tooth
A small chip with no pain is not an emergency. Book a normal appointment.
See a dentist the same day if the tooth is badly broken, if it hurts a lot, or if you can see pink or red in the centre of the tooth. Until then:
- Keep any pieces of tooth in milk and take them with you.
- Rinse your mouth with warm water.
- If a sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek, cover it with dental wax or temporary filling material from a pharmacy.
- Eat soft food and chew on the other side.
If the tooth broke because of a blow to the head or face, check for other injuries first. If the person was knocked out, is being sick or has double vision, call 999.
Swelling or a dental abscess
A dental abscess is an infection that causes a collection of pus near a tooth. Signs include throbbing pain, swelling in the gum or face, a bad taste, and feeling hot or unwell. An abscess will not go away on its own. A dentist needs to drain it or treat the tooth.
Call 999 or go to A&E if the swelling makes it hard to breathe, swallow, speak or open your mouth, or if your eye is swollen or painful. These are signs that the infection is spreading.
For other swelling, call a dentist or NHS 111 the same day. Do not go to your GP. GPs cannot give dental treatment, and antibiotics alone do not cure an abscess. If a dentist does give you antibiotics, you will still need the tooth treated.
Severe toothache
See a dentist urgently if the pain stops you sleeping or doing normal things, and painkillers do not help. Also see a dentist if you have a high temperature or swelling. Toothache that lasts more than 2 days needs a dentist, even if painkillers help.
While you wait:
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen. Follow the dose on the packet. Taking more than the packet says can be very dangerous.
- Children under 16 should not take aspirin.
- Do not hold a painkiller against your gum. It can burn the gum.
- A mouth pain-relief gel from a pharmacy may help. Adults can also rinse with warm salt water.
- Eat soft food and avoid food and drinks that are very hot, very cold or sweet.
A pharmacist can advise on pain relief while you wait for your appointment.
Bleeding after a tooth was taken out
Some bleeding in the first day is normal. If it does not stop:
- Roll up a clean piece of gauze or a clean handkerchief.
- Put it over the gap and bite down hard for 20 minutes. Do not keep checking it.
- Sit up. Do not rinse your mouth, spit or drink hot drinks.
If the bleeding has not stopped after 20 minutes of pressure, call the practice that took the tooth out. Out of hours, call NHS 111. If you take a blood thinner, such as warfarin or apixaban, call sooner. If the bleeding is heavy and will not stop, go to A&E.
Lost filling or crown
A lost filling or crown that does not hurt can wait a few days. Book an appointment at your practice.
- Keep the crown and take it with you. The dentist may be able to fit it again.
- A pharmacy sells temporary filling material and dental cement. These can protect the tooth or hold the crown for a short time. Follow the instructions on the pack.
- Do not glue a crown with household glue.
- Chew on the other side.
If the tooth is very painful or sensitive, call a dentist sooner. If the filling or crown was done on the NHS in the last 12 months, the practice must usually repair or replace it free. We explain this guarantee in our guide to NHS dental charges.
Broken brace wire
A loose or broken wire can cut your cheek or tongue. Cover the sharp end with orthodontic wax. Your orthodontist may have given you some, and pharmacies sell it. Do not cut the wire yourself. Call your orthodontist and tell them what happened.
Where to go and what it costs
Urgent NHS treatment costs £27.90 in 2026/27, or nothing if you qualify for free NHS dental care. A private emergency appointment in London usually costs £60-£100 before any treatment. You do not need to be registered with a dentist to be seen.
For the full picture, including how quickly the NHS should see you and how to get an urgent NHS slot at a practice with a closed list, see our guide to emergency dentists in London. To find a practice near you, use our emergency dentist directory.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if a tooth is knocked out?
If it is an adult tooth, hold it by the crown, rinse it in milk or saliva if dirty, and try to push it back into the gum. If it will not go in, keep it in milk or saliva. See a dentist straight away. Do not put a baby tooth back in.
Should I put a knocked-out tooth in water?
No. Tap water can damage the cells on the root that help the tooth reattach. Keep the tooth in milk or saliva, or put it back in the socket if you can.
When should I go to A&E with a dental problem?
Go to A&E or call 999 if swelling makes it hard to breathe, swallow or speak, if swelling is closing your eye, if bleeding will not stop, or if you have a serious injury to your face or jaw. For other dental problems, call a dentist or NHS 111.
Can my GP treat a dental abscess?
No. GPs cannot give dental treatment. Call a dentist or NHS 111. If the swelling affects your breathing, swallowing or eye, go to A&E.