Dental symptoms · Twickenham · Adult guidance
Toothache. What to do next.
Tooth pain needs an assessment of its cause, not a guess. Here is when to contact a dentist, what can help while you wait, and when to seek emergency help.
General information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for dental assessment. Source-backed guide · Dr Sunny’s clinical sign-off is pending.
Do not wait for a practice reply
When you need emergency help
Go to A&E for swelling around your eye or neck, or swelling making it hard to breathe, swallow or speak. Call 999 if you need an ambulance. Heavy mouth bleeding that will not stop or a serious face or jaw injury also requires emergency help.
For urgent dental problems when you cannot reach a dentist or get an appointment, call NHS 111. A website enquiry is not an emergency service.
First decision
When to contact a dentist
See a dentist if toothache lasts more than two days, does not improve with painkillers, or comes with a high temperature, pain on biting, red gums, a bad taste, or a swollen cheek or jaw. Do not wait two days if symptoms are severe or getting worse.
Possible explanations
What might be causing it?
Possible causes include decay, an abscess, a cracked tooth, a damaged filling, gum disease, grinding or sensitivity. These can feel similar: a dentist may need an examination and, where appropriate, X-rays to identify the cause.
While you arrange care
Practical steps
- Eat soft foods and avoid chewing on the sore tooth.
- Avoid very hot, cold or sweet foods and drinks if they trigger pain. Do not smoke.
- Keep brushing gently with a soft toothbrush. Avoid flossing around the sore tooth while it is painful.
- Ask a pharmacist about suitable pain relief. Follow the packet instructions and check suitability, especially if you take other medicines, are pregnant or have a medical condition. Pain relief does not treat the cause.
Your assessment
What the dentist will check
Your dentist will ask when the pain started, what triggers it, whether it wakes you, and about swelling or recent dental work. Treatment depends on the findings; a filling, root canal treatment or extraction is not decided from symptoms alone.
Sunny Dental · One Twickenham practice
Getting in touch
2 London Road, Twickenham, London TW1 3RY · +44 7356 215372
Monday to Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Saturday and Sunday: closed.. Call to ask about availability; same-day appointments are not guaranteed. If you need urgent care and cannot get help here, contact NHS 111.
Independent patient information
Sources and further reading
Other dental concerns