You'll be given advice on what type of appointment you'll need, depending on your symptoms.
Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent or emergency dental appointment or get advice from NHS 111 now if:
- you have a knocked-out tooth or other injury to your teeth
- you have severe tooth or mouth pain that's affecting your sleep or daily activities, and is not helped by painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen
- you have tooth or mouth pain that is helped by taking painkillers, but it's not going away
- you have swelling, a lump or patch inside your mouth that's getting bigger or not going away – it may or may not be painful
- you've recently had a tooth removed and you're bleeding or have severe pain
- you have a broken or loose filling, denture, crown, bridge or veneer
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
You should be offered urgent dental treatment within 24 hours or 7 days, depending on your symptoms.
If you've knocked out an adult tooth, you should be offered emergency dental care within 1 hour, or as soon as possible.
Most adults need to pay for NHS dental appointments.
Immediate action required: Go to A&E or call 999 if you have:
- serious injuries to your face or jaw
- heavy bleeding from your mouth that will not stop
- severe swelling of your mouth, lips, throat or neck, and you're having difficulty breathing or opening 1 or both eyes
- any injury to your head or face that's caused you to lose consciousness, vomit, or have double vision
If you're not sure if you should go to A&E, call 111 or use 111 online to find out what to do.
Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Bring any medicines you take with you.
A pharmacist can help with teeth and mouth problems
If you're in pain while waiting for a dental appointment, you can ask a pharmacist for advice on taking painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
A pharmacist can also give you advice on how to manage common symptoms affecting your mouth and teeth, including:
- toothache
- bleeding, swollen or painful gums
- mouth ulcers you've had for less than 2 weeks – see a dentist if you've had a mouth ulcer for more than 2 weeks
- a lost filling or crown