16/10/2025
Urgent dental care is for issues that require prompt attention but are not life-threatening.
Symptoms that may need urgent care include:
• Severe toothache: persistent and intense pain that cannot be managed with over-the-counter painkillers.
• Dental abscess: infection causing swelling, pain, and possibly fever.
• Broken or knocked-out tooth: trauma resulting in a fractured or completely dislodged tooth.
• Uncontrolled bleeding: bleeding in mouth that doesn’t stop maybe following a dental procedure or an injury.
• Swelling: significant swelling in the mouth or face that could indicate an infection.
• Fractured, loose or displaced fillings causing pain.
• Bleeding gums requiring urgent treatment for acute conditions.
• Other treatments may be available at the discretion of the dentist. These treatments may require extra visits and costs.
If you need urgent care, contact your regular NHS dentist. If you don’t have one, call NHS 111, which can direct you to an urgent dental care service in your area.
You can also phone one of the dental practices offering additional urgent appointments. You do not need to be registered with the dental practice, but you must contact them in advance:
For more information visit
Accessing NHS Dental Care. Routine. Urgent. Emergency Treatment Explained. Access to dental care when you need it.
