If an adult tooth has been knocked out, pick it up by the crown and avoid touching the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly, then put it back into the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth. If you cannot reposition it, keep it in milk. Either way, get to a dentist straight away, because the first hour matters more than anything else. If your face is swollen and the swelling is affecting your eye, your breathing or your swallowing, go to A&E or call 999. For a broken tooth or a painful abscess without swelling, ring us on 0151 489 2139 and we will see you the same day where possible.
Which Dental Emergency Do You Have?
Dental emergencies are not all equally urgent, and knowing which one you are dealing with tells you how fast you need to move.
- Knocked-out adult tooth – the most time-critical. The first hour decides whether the tooth can be saved.
- Facial swelling affecting your eye, breathing or swallowing – not a dental appointment. A&E or 999, now.
- Dental abscess with pain and localised swelling – urgent, same day. This will not clear on its own.
- Broken or chipped tooth – urgent if painful or sharp, otherwise seen within a day or two.
- Lost filling or crown – uncomfortable but rarely an emergency.
What Do I Do If My Tooth Is Knocked Out?
Handle the tooth by the crown, which is the white part you normally see, and never by the root. The root surface carries the ligament cells that allow the tooth to reattach, and scrubbing or wiping them away is usually what makes a tooth unsaveable.
If the tooth is dirty, clean it gently and briefly. Milk, saline or your own saliva are the preferred options. If none of those are to hand, a quick rinse under cold running water for no more than ten seconds is far better than leaving the tooth dirty or waiting. Do not scrub it and do not use disinfectant.
Where possible, put the tooth straight back into the socket the right way round and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it in place. Replanting at the scene within roughly fifteen minutes gives the tooth its best possible outlook. If you cannot get it back in, keep it in a cup of milk and bring it with you. You can also hold it in your cheek, although not with younger children, in case they swallow it.
What matters most is not letting the root dry out. Once the tooth has been dry for around an hour, the ligament cells are unlikely to survive, and storing it in milk after that point does not undo the damage. That is why the priority is to get it into the socket or into milk quickly, and then ring us.
One important exception: a knocked-out baby tooth should never be put back in, because doing so can damage the adult tooth developing behind it. Bring your child in to be seen, but leave the tooth out.
What Should I Do About A Broken Or Chipped Tooth?
Rinse your mouth gently with warm salty water and keep any pieces of the tooth if you can find them, as they are occasionally useful. If you find a broken-off fragment, keep it in milk or saliva rather than letting it dry out.
If the broken edge is sharp and catching your tongue or cheek, a piece of sugar-free chewing gum or orthodontic wax pressed over the edge will protect the soft tissue until you are seen.
Take ibuprofen or paracetamol at the normal dose on the packet if you need pain relief and it is safe for you to do so. Never place an aspirin against the gum. It is an acid, it will burn the tissue, and it does nothing for the tooth.
A break that exposes the inner part of the tooth is usually intensely sensitive to air and cold. That is a sign the nerve is involved and it needs seeing quickly, because early treatment is often the difference between saving the tooth and losing it. A chip with no pain and no sharp edge is not an emergency and can wait until we are open.
How Do I Know If I Have A Dental Abscess?
An abscess is a collection of infection, either at the root tip or in the gum, and it does not resolve without treatment. The pressure is what causes the pain.
Common signs:
- A constant, throbbing ache that may spread to the jaw, ear or neck
- Pain that is worse lying down and wakes you at night
- The tooth feeling raised or tender to bite on
- Swelling of the gum, face or jaw
- A bad taste, or a sudden salty discharge followed by the pain easing
- Feeling generally unwell, with a temperature
That last point matters. If the pain suddenly disappears and you taste something foul, the abscess has burst. The infection has not gone. It has found a way out and it will build again.
When An Abscess Is A 999 Call
Go to A&E or call 999 if you have swelling that is closing your eye, swelling under your jaw or in your neck, difficulty breathing or swallowing, difficulty opening your mouth, or a high temperature with confusion. Dental infections in the floor of the mouth can compromise the airway. This is rare, it is serious, and it is not something to wait on overnight.
Painkillers will not treat an abscess. Neither will antibiotics on their own. Antibiotics can slow a spreading infection, but the abscess needs draining and the cause needs treating, which usually means either root canal treatment or removing the tooth. Lying flat often makes the pain worse, so propping yourself up on extra pillows can help while you wait to be seen.
When Should I See A Dentist Urgently?
Ring us the same day if you have:
- Any adult tooth that has been knocked out or pushed out of position
- Pain that is stopping you sleeping or is not controlled by over-the-counter painkillers
- Any facial or gum swelling
- Bleeding that has not stopped after twenty minutes of firm pressure
- A broken tooth that is sharp, painful or sensitive to air
- Trauma to the mouth following a fall, a collision or a sporting injury
What Does An Emergency Appointment Cost?
An emergency appointment at the practice is £95. That covers the examination, any x-rays needed and immediate pain relief, and we will explain what is happening and what your options are before anything else is agreed.
If further treatment is needed, we will quote it clearly at that appointment. Depending on the tooth and the problem, that might be a filling, root canal treatment, a crown or, where the tooth cannot be saved, an extraction. Nothing proceeds without you knowing the cost first.
If you are an NHS patient, emergency care is charged at NHS Band 1.
Can I Get An Emergency Dental Appointment In Liverpool?
Yes. We keep time set aside each day for urgent problems and we see patients from Huyton, Liverpool and across Merseyside, whether you are registered with us or not.
If you are in pain or you have had an accident, ring 0151 489 2139. If it is outside our opening hours, call NHS 111, who will direct you to the out-of-hours service.
You can find full details on our emergency dentist page, including what to expect when you arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a knocked-out tooth survive outside the mouth?
What counts is how long the tooth stays dry. Putting it back in the socket within about fifteen minutes gives the best outcome, and once the root has been dry for an hour the ligament cells are unlikely to survive. Keeping the tooth in milk from the outset protects those cells and buys you time.
Can I rinse a knocked-out tooth under the tap?
Yes, briefly. Milk, saline or saliva are better, but a quick rinse under cold water for no more than ten seconds is fine if nothing else is available. Never scrub the root or use disinfectant, and never let the tooth dry out.
Can I put a knocked-out baby tooth back in?
No. Putting a baby tooth back risks damaging the adult tooth forming underneath. Bring your child to be seen, but do not replace the tooth.
Will antibiotics clear a dental abscess?
Not on their own. Antibiotics can control a spreading infection, but the abscess needs draining and the underlying cause needs treating, otherwise it returns.
What painkillers can I take for dental pain?
Ibuprofen and paracetamol at the doses on the packet, taken together if needed and safe for you. Never hold an aspirin against the gum, as it burns the tissue.
Is a dental abscess ever an emergency for A&E?
Yes. Swelling that affects your eye, breathing or swallowing, or a high temperature with confusion, needs A&E or 999 rather than a dental appointment.
