Frequently Asked Dental Questions

A. Toothache usually refers to pain around the jaws or teeth. Most commonly, toothaches are caused by tooth or jaw problems, such as a dental cavity, an exposed tooth root, a cracked tooth, gum disease, Jaw joint function (temporo- mandibular joint), or spasms of the muscles used for chewing.

The severity of toothache can range from chronic and mild to sharp and excruciating. Pain may be aggravated by chewing or by changes in temperature.

If you are experience toothache, try some pain relief (Ibuprofen is normally best), and contact the Practice as soon as possible.

A. The best over-the-counter painkillers for toothache are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs for short. These include ibuprofen, also sold under many brand names.

Do not take these if you have asthma and always read the label for contraindications! (check with the pharmacist before purchase)

Paracetamol is also fairly good for dental pain. Some people have reported that Paracetamol with Codeine has worked for them when other pain medications haven’t. However, dental pain often comes from inflammation and pressure on various tissues and nerves of the face. NSAIDs can be better for dental pain because they are both pain relievers and good anti-inflammatories. It can be very dangerous to take too much paracetamol.

Note: Never put any painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gums and tissues

For contraindications, side-effects and maximum doses, always read the label!

If you have any discomfort, please contact the practice as soon as reasonably possible during practice hours, if out of hours contact the emergency helpline following the steps above.

A. Acute swelling inside or outside the mouth are signs of a possible infection or abscess. Please contact us as soon as possible. Abscesses are infections that occur around the root of a tooth or in the space between the teeth and gums. Abscesses are a serious condition that can damage tissue and surrounding teeth, with the infection possibly spreading to other parts of the body if left untreated.

You may need antibiotics to prevent the infection from getting worse and spreading. Antibiotics kill the bacteria that are causing the swelling, tissue damage and infection and therefore help to relieve pain as well. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, please call us so we can manage your condition accordingly.

A. Contact us as quickly as possible, if out of hours and severe trauma, go to your nearest A&E. Initially cleanse the affected area with a mild salt-water solution then apply pressure using a cold compress to the affected area for a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes. When you initially see your dentist they will want to assess the extent of the damage and what remedial action needs to be taken.

A. You will probably bleed for the first hour or 2 after surgery. The area may continue to ooze for up to 24 hours. Blood and saliva mix together in your mouth and this can make it look like you are bleeding more than you really are. After 4 hours, if you cannot control the bleeding by pressing firmly on the area with a gauze pad, please call the Practice.

What to do:

Your dentist or oral surgeon will use a gauze pad over the wound to cut down on the amount of bleeding while the blood clots. This gauze pad should be left in place for an hour no matter how soggy it becomes. Keep firm and constant pressure on the gauze pad by closing your teeth firmly on the pad. If you are still bleeding after 1 hour, put a new gauze pad on the area and continue to put firm and constant pressure on the pad for another hour. Rest and keep your head raised. Rest slows down the circulation (flow) of blood. This helps stop the bleeding and helps you to heal faster. Brush and floss your teeth as usual, but stay away from the wound and use only a little bit of water. If you are still bleeding and it has been 4 hours or longer since your surgery, call your dentist.

A full day after surgery, rinse your mouth gently with warm water. Your dentist or oral surgeon may suggest that you add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water each time you rinse. Rinse 4 or 5 times a day, for 3 or 4 days.

What NOT to do:

• Do not rinse your mouth within the first 24 hours, even if the bleeding and oozing leave a bad taste in your mouth.
• Do not chew on the gauze pad or suck on the wound.
• Do not strain yourself for 2 full days after your surgery.
• Avoid hot liquids like coffee and tea. If you eat soup, let it cool first. Hot liquids increase the flow of blood and your wound can start to bleed again.
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco for the first 2 weeks after surgery. They make it harder for the blood to clot and easier for an infection to start. Alcohol and tobacco will also delay healing.

A. If the crown falls off, make an appointment to see us as soon as possible and bring the crown with you. A lost crown or bridge is not always deemed as an “ Emergency” but we would like to recement this as soon as possible. If you not in a position to visit us at this moment in time, we urge you to see us as soon as you can. You don’t want to wait too long because the tooth will be weak and could be damaged more if it is not protected by the crown. Also, when a crown is missing for a long time, your teeth may move. If this happens your crown may no longer fit.

If you experience the loss of a crown or bridge, after normal surgery times and the tooth is causing pain, call the out of hours emergency number as soon as possible to get advice.

A. You may be eating, or biting on something hard when you discover that a filling has become lose or fallen out. You may feel the lost filling in your mouth.

If the tooth is sensitive and you can’t get to us straight away, we would not recommend the placement of a self DIY repair kit as this could harm the structure of the tooth and underlying problems may not be addressed as they should. If you are experiencing pain, please contact the practice at your earliest convenience.

A. If part of the wisdom tooth has appeared through the gum and part of it is still covered, the gum may become sore and perhaps swollen. Food particles and bacteria can collect under the gum edge, and it will be difficult to clean the area effectively. This is known as pericoronitis.

This is a temporary problem that can be dealt with by using mouthwashes and special cleaning methods and possibly antibiotics. Corsdyl Mouthwash is often effective but do not use for more than 2 weeks. If the problem keeps coming back frequently, it may be better to have the tooth removed. If your pain is severe and you require an emergency appointment, please contact us to arrange a visit

A. The best over-the-counter painkillers for toothache are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs for short. These include ibuprofen, also sold under many brand names.

Do not take these if you have asthma and always read the label for contraindications! (check with the pharmacist before purchase)

Paracetamol is also fairly good for dental pain. Some people have reported that Paracetamol with Codeine has worked for them when other pain medications haven’t. However, dental pain often comes from inflammation and pressure on various tissues and nerves of the face. NSAIDs can be better for dental pain because they are both pain relievers and good anti-inflammatories. It can be very dangerous to take too much paracetamol.

Note: Never put any painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gums and tissues. For contraindications, side-effects and maximum doses, always read the label!

If you have any discomfort, please contact the practice as soon as reasonably possible during practice hours, if out of hours contact the emergency helpline following the steps above.

A. A broken denture is not deemed as a dental emergency, however we appreciate to you this is difficult to manage. We are here during normal surgery times to aid you in your dilemma. A broken denture is relatively easy to repair. We do not recommend you perform DIY on your denture as this could result in further damage. Please contact our friendly reception team who can book you an appointment at your earliest convenience.

A. During normal surgery hours we endeavour to see our dental emergencies as soon as possible. We do not charge our memebrs for the emergency appointment, and if further treatment is required it will have the usual 20% discount applied.

Patients who are not members, will be charged for treatment provided for a emergency appointment during normal surgery hours.

Unregistered patients may be seen subject to availability of appointments with a charge of £50, if further treatment is carried out it will be charged at the Fee Per Item rate.

Out of Hours service – There is no charge for members and £150 call out fee to non-members.

Any treatment provided within our out of hours will be EMERGENCY treatment only and you may be required to attend in normal hours for the provision of any definitive treatment.