EMERGENCY HOMECARE & ADVICE

PLEASE EMAIL YOUR DENTIST OR CALL THE PRACTICE FOR ADVICE

If you unable to attend, or calling at unusual time of day then some useful information is below.

EMERGENCY SERVICES/ ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

• Facial swelling affecting vision or breathing.

• Trauma causing loss of consciousness, double vision or vomiting.

URGENT CARE (EMAIL, TEXT OR CALL US)

• Facial swelling extending to eye or neck

• Bleeding following an extraction that does not stop after 20 minutes of applied pressure with a gauze pack, clean hankie. A small amount oozing is normal, and don’t forget this is mixed with saliva so will appear worse than it is.

• Bleeding due to trauma.

• Tooth knocked out.

• Tooth broken and causing pain.

• Significant toothache which prevents sleep, eating, especially if associated with significant swelling or fever that cannot be managed with painkillers.

NON-URGENT : MAY NEED TO WAIT (IF YOU ARE UNSURE PLEASE EMAIL, TEXT OR CALL)

• Loose or lost crowns, bridges, veneers

• Broken, rubbing or loose dentures

• Chipped teeth with no pain

• Loose orthodontic wires

WISDOM TEETH

Wisdom tooth pain is usually due to inflammation of the gum over the erupting tooth which can be worsened by trauma from biting. If you have difficulty in swallowing, swelling in your face or cheek or difficulty in opening then you may need antibiotics, please contact your dentist. However, most of the time good home care should settle this problem.

• CLEANING: Even if it painful to brush the area it must be kept spotlessly clean to encourage healing,

• SOFT DIET: A soft diet will reduce trauma from biting

• WARM SALTY MOUTHWASH: Dissolve a few teaspoons of salt in a mug of warm water and swoosh several times around the tooth, you should do this 3 or 4 times a day.

• PAINKILLERS: Ibuprofen or Paracetamol (important read the instructions)