Toothache? We can usually see you today.

The NHS advises seeing a dentist if you have toothache that:

• lasts more than 2 days
• doesn't get better with painkillers
• comes with a high temperature, pain when you bite, red or swollen gums, or a bad taste in your mouth
• comes with a swollen cheek or jaw

Call us on 01205 337 000. Our phone line is open 24/7, and we offer same-day emergency appointments every day of the year, weekends and bank holidays included. You can also book online.

A GP can't give dental treatment, so a dentist is the right place to go for tooth pain.

Most toothache comes from one of these:

• tooth decay that has reached the inside of the tooth
• a cracked or broken tooth, or a filling that has come loose
• a dental abscess, an infection at the root of a tooth or in the gum
• gum disease
• a wisdom tooth coming through
• grinding your teeth, often at night

Your dentist finds the cause at your emergency appointment, so the right problem gets treated.

The kind of pain you have gives your dentist clues. It can't tell you the cause for certain, but it helps to mention it when you call.

• A sharp twinge with hot, cold or sweet things. This can mean decay has made a hole in the tooth, or that the tooth is sensitive.
• Pain when you bite. This can come from a cracked tooth, a loose filling or an infection.
• Throbbing pain that is worse when you lie down. This can be a sign of an abscess, especially with a bad taste or a swollen gum.
• Pain and a swollen gum at the back of your mouth. This can be a wisdom tooth that has only partly come through and become infected.
• An ache in your jaw or a headache when you wake up. This can come from grinding or clenching your teeth.

• Ask a pharmacist about painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Children under 16 shouldn't take aspirin.
• A pain relieving mouth gel from a pharmacy can help.
• Adults can rinse with salt water: half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, then spit it out. Children shouldn't do this.
• Eat soft food and chew on the other side.
• Avoid food and drink that is very hot, very cold or sugary, and don't smoke.
• Use a soft toothbrush and brush gently around the sore tooth.
• Bring a list of any medicines you take.

Go to A&E or call 999 if you have swelling around your eye or neck, or swelling in your mouth that makes it hard to breathe, swallow or speak.

1. We ask where it hurts, how long it has hurt and what makes it worse.
2. Your dentist checks the tooth and takes an X-ray if it's needed.
3. We explain what's causing the pain and your options, with the price of each.
4. We ease the pain the same day where we can, and book any further treatment at a time that suits you.

The treatment depends on the cause. Decay is usually treated with a filling. If decay or an infection has reached the soft centre of the tooth, root canal treatment aims to save it. A tooth that is too badly damaged may need to come out. Gum problems are treated with a clean below the gum line.

Sometimes your dentist can finish the treatment at the emergency visit. Other times they ease the pain first and book a second visit. Either way, you know the price before anything starts.

• Brush twice a day for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste, last thing at night and one other time.
• Spit out after brushing but don't rinse, so the fluoride keeps working.
• Clean between your teeth every day with floss or small brushes.
• Keep sugary food and drink to mealtimes.
• Keep up your check-ups, so small problems are found before they hurt.

The £25 covers your emergency appointment, where your dentist finds the cause and eases the pain. If you need treatment after that, we'll tell you the cost before we start. “From” prices start at that amount and depend on your treatment. Your dentist will give you a written plan and price before any work starts. See all our prices.