Dental emergency? What counts, what to do, and how fast we can see you

A dental emergency is any problem that cannot wait for a routine appointment — usually because of severe pain, bleeding, swelling or an injury to a tooth. At Radiant Dental in Ashton-under-Lyne we hold same-day emergency appointments every working day: call 0161 330 1178 and we will usually see you that day. An emergency appointment is £65, including the assessment and X-ray, and if treatment is needed you get the plan and the price in writing before anything begins.

That is the short version. Below is what actually counts as an emergency, what to do in the first few minutes — because those minutes matter more than most people realise — and how our emergency service works.

What counts as a dental emergency

Not everything that hurts is an emergency, and some things that do not hurt yet are. As a rule of thumb, we need to see you the same day if:

• You have toothache severe enough to stop you sleeping, eating or concentrating
• Your face or gum is swollen, or the swelling is spreading
• You have knocked out a permanent (adult) tooth
• You have broken a tooth and it is painful, or the break is sharp enough to cut your tongue or cheek
• You are bleeding and it will not stop — for example after an extraction

What can usually wait for a routine appointment: a small chip with no pain, a lost filling or crown that is not hurting, mild sensitivity to cold, a dull ache that painkillers handle, or a wisdom tooth that is sore but not swollen. They still deserve attention — just not the same-day slot. If you are unsure, call us and ask. We would rather tell you to come in than have you sit on something that is getting worse.

What to do right now, depending on what has happened

You have knocked out a tooth

This is the one where speed genuinely changes the outcome. Act within the hour.

1. Pick the tooth up by the crown (the part you bite with) — never the root.
2. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk. Do not scrub it, do not use soap, and do not wrap it in tissue — that dries out the root cells it needs to survive.
3. Put it back in the socket if it goes in easily, holding it gently in place. If not, keep it moist: milk is best, or hold it between your cheek and gum.
4. Call us immediately. We hold same-day slots for exactly this — ideally we see you within the hour.

If a child has knocked out a baby tooth, do not try to put it back — it can damage the adult tooth growing underneath. Bring them in so we can check, but there is no rush to reimplant.

Severe toothache

• Take painkillers you would normally use, following the label. Do not put aspirin directly on the gum or tooth — it burns the soft tissue.
• Keep the area clean. Gently floss to remove anything trapped between the teeth — sometimes that alone is the culprit.
• Avoid very hot, very cold or very sweet things while it hurts.
• Adults can rinse gently with half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water; swish and spit, do not swallow.

If the pain is stopping you sleeping or eating, that is an emergency — call us the same day. Toothache rarely resolves on its own; it usually means decay or infection that will only progress.

Your face or gum is swollen

Swelling is the sign that gets our attention fastest, because it can mean an infection spreading beyond the tooth.

• If you have a swollen face, a swollen gum with a visible bump, or swelling that is spreading — call us today. Do not try to burst any bump yourself, and do not press on it.
• If the swelling reaches your eye, you struggle to swallow or breathe, or you have a high fever — that is beyond a dental emergency. Go to A&E or call 999 now.

A broken tooth, a lost filling or a lost crown

• If the break is painful or has exposed the inner part of the tooth, call us today. Until you are seen, keep the area clean and avoid chewing on that side.
• If it is a small, painless chip, it can wait — but book it in. Small chips catch stains and can weaken over time.
• If a crown or filling has come out and is not hurting, keep it safe (bring it with you) and book a normal appointment. Do not try to glue anything back yourself — DIY fixes cause more damage than the original problem.

Bleeding that will not stop

If you have just had a tooth out, bite firmly on the gauze or a clean cloth for 30 to 60 minutes without checking. Avoid rinsing, spitting, hot drinks and smoking for the first 24 hours. If bleeding is still heavy after that, call us.

What not to do in a dental emergency

Three things we see too often:

• Do not put aspirin or painkillers directly on the gum — it causes chemical burns on top of the toothache.
• Do not use superglue, DIY filling kits or other home repairs. They do not hold, they trap bacteria, and they make the proper repair harder and more expensive.
• Do not ignore spreading swelling or a fever, hoping it will pass. Dental infections do not resolve by waiting; they spread.

How emergency appointments work at Radiant Dental

We are a fully private practice, which means no NHS waiting lists — if you need us today, you are seen today.

• Call 0161 330 1178. Tell us what has happened. We will ask a few questions to gauge how urgent it is and whether we should see you now.
• We hold same-day emergency slots Monday to Thursday 9:00am–5:30pm and Friday 8:00am–2:00pm.
• An emergency appointment is £65, including the assessment and X-ray. If you need treatment, we explain what is wrong, what the options are and what it costs — in writing, before we start. Nothing is done without your agreement, whether you are an existing patient or new to the practice.
• The practice is on Stamford Square in Ashton-under-Lyne, with free parking at the rear off St James Street.

Outside our opening hours, call 0161 330 1178 and follow the answerphone instructions for our out-of-hours arrangements. If you have severe symptoms — difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling affecting your eye, or heavy trauma — call 999 or go to A&E. Do not wait for a dental appointment.

After the emergency: why it happened

An emergency appointment stops the pain and deals with the immediate problem. It does not always finish the story. A tooth that needed urgent care usually has an underlying cause — decay, a crack, gum disease — and the lasting fix (a filling, root canal, crown or extraction) is often a planned follow-up appointment. Please do not skip it. Teeth rarely give a second warning before they fail.

The cheapest dental emergency is the one that never happens. Routine check-ups catch decay while it is still small and cheap to treat — our new patient exam is £65, including X-rays and a written plan — and a regular hygiene visit keeps the gums stable underneath. If it has been a while, there is no judgement here; that is a conversation, not a lecture. Nervous about it? That is a large part of what we do.

When you should just call

If you are reading this because something hurts right now, stop reading and call 0161 330 1178. A human answers. They will tell you honestly whether it can wait or whether we need to see you today — and if it is serious, they will not make you wait.