Dental Emergencies

Dental Emergencies

Urgent, Dental Emergencies include, but are not limited to:

• Severe toothache or sudden, intense oral pain

Dental emergencies can vary,this symptom can be due to injury or trauma to the tooth and is not helped by regular over the counter medication.

• Knocked-out or broken teeth due to accidents or injury

This is a common dental emergency for children, however we appreciate that adults can suffer too.  Trauma is often the cause of such emergencies.

• Uncontrollable bleeding from the mouth

Minor bleeding around the gums, following treatment or a little bleeding, following an extraction is expected.  Please contact us, if the bleeding is excessive and will not stop, even when pressure is applied.

• Swelling, abscess, or infections in the gums or mouth

Some dental issues, when not treated in a timely manner, will worsen over time.  Decay that progresses through the layers of a tooth, into the nerve chamber, may cause infection and with it, a symptom of which is an abscess or infection which may cause swelling in the mouth, making eating, speaking or opening your mouth painful.

• Issues related to wisdom teeth pain, such as impaction or infections

Wisdom teeth, which are the last molar teeth in your mouth, are in some ways notorious for causing pain, as in many cases, there is not enough space in the mouth for them to fully erupt.  Wisdom teeth can become impacted against the adjacent molar tooth, this can cause  food packing, as the area may be difficult to clean effectively.

Dental Emergencies – What to do next

If you are suffering from any of  the above issues, fear not – Dartford Road Dental Centre is here to help.

We reserve emergency appointments every day, including Saturdays; Appointments are allocated on a first come-first served basis. There is a triage process, helps to ascertain the best course of action for you. On occasion, we direct certain emergencies to A&E.

Our phone lines open from 8.15am Monday-Friday and from 9.15am on Saturdays.

Dental Emergency appointment – What to expect

Once you have been triaged, you will be offered an appointment, this may not be on the same day, depending on your symptoms.

Your Dentist will have details of your triage conversation, so will be aware of the reason you are attending.

The Dentist may ask some further questions, before clinically assessing the area.  Next steps, will depend on the type of treatment required.

We strive, to get you out of pain on the day; however we cannot guarantee that we can complete treatment on the same day, due to time restraints, in this case we will do our best to provide a temporary solution, until you can return for treatment.  Some patients may require an antibiotic before further treatment;

Dental Emergency appointment – what does it cost?

The cost of of our Emergency Appointments

New patients:

Adult £95

Child £65

We will need to make a full record for you and create a full medical history for you, prior to treatment.  At your Emergency Dental appointment, we will take the time to listen to your concern, and assess clinically, before diagnosing the problem.

Existing patients:

Adult £54

Child £39

We have up to date records for all patients who attend regularly; this could give us some insight into the cause of your pain, but of course, we will listen to your symptoms and assess you clinically prior to issuing a diagnosis.

Please note that if you have not been seen at our practice, for a check up within the last 3 years, you will be seen and charged, as if new to the practice.  Previous records held for you, will be out of date and will need a full update, prior to assessment.

Our fees our detailed on our website https://www.drdc.co.uk/fees/

Dental Emergency appointment – what is included?

Emergency dentist consultation

1 x-ray (if needed)

A prescription (if needed)

Temporary filling (if needed)

Non urgent tooth pain or concern – What to do next

If you have a dental ‘niggle’ or an area that is sometimes sensitive but is not an emergency, call us on 01322 223 927 or book online https://uk.dentalhub.online/v1/view/organization/2790/index.html#/perspectives/3

Our expert team are here for you, when you need us.