New NHS Urgent Dental Care Appointments

Posted 1 hour ago in Residents' Information

The NHS has introduced a number of urgent dental appointments so those needing help can be seen quickly. We have been informed of the following steps to help identify whether your condition requires urgent dental care, and the process required to book an appointment. 

So, what is an urgent dental appointment? And how do you get one? 

If you have any of these dental symptoms, you should be considered for an urgent dental appointment: 

• Severe toothache - persistent and intense pain that cannot be managed with self-help advice and 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
• Severe bleeding from gums, or acute conditions affecting other soft areas of the mouth (such as cheeks or tongue) which require urgent treatment.

Some dentists will also class other conditions as urgent at their discretion and book you an urgent dental appointment.

Steps to complete before getting an appointment:

You can get an urgent appointment by visiting the NHS111 website, phoning 111, or speaking to your dentist. You do not need to be registered with the dental practice, but you must contact them in advance.

NHS 111 WEBSITE

Article written by work experience student ;
Louise De Oliveira-Steunou