Upton Group Practice

Dental

If you have a dental problem please telephone your dentist as soon as possible during working hours so that an appointment can be made for you at the earliest convenience.  Out of hours advice can be obtained by telephoning the surgery where you will probably be asked to leave a message and your call will be returned.

Pain

Pain from the teeth and gums can range from mild to severe.  Please do not ignore dental pain as it is always a warning sign and even if it settles down it is very important that you see a dentist.  Many toothaches can be controlled by the use of an appropriate pain killer.  Children should take the maximum recommended dose of paracetamol for their age group, great care should be taken not to exceed this and adults should take the recommended doses of ibuprofen, aspirin or paracetamol as preferred.  Ibuprofen being particularly effective for most toothaches.  Never place tablets next to the tooth because this can cause severe damage to the gums.

 Bleeding

It is very unusual for there to be prolonged bleeding from an area where a tooth has been extracted.  A bleeding socket should always be treated by the application of firm pressure to the area.  The patient should sit upright and bite against a clean rolled up linen handkerchief for about half an hour.  If bleeding persists this is a serious emergency and a dentist must be contacted.  If for any reason this is not possible, a visit to the local accident and emergency department is the last resort. 

Swelling

Swelling around the face and gums can be very serious and it is important that advice is obtained from a dentist.  Please remember that antibiotics prescribed by your dentist can take over 24 hours to work and providing the swelling is not getting any worse it should settle with time.  However, if any swelling is accompanied by a raised temperature or the patient feels unwell or the swelling is affecting the neck immediate attention is required.

Accidental damage to the teeth

Occasionally, front teeth are knocked out and it is possible that the tooth can be replaced in its socket if a dentist is seen very soon after.  Do not wash the tooth in water but place the tooth in milk or saliva and attend the dental surgery immediately.  Teeth may also be knocked out of position or broken and again an immediate visit to the dentist is required.  In serious accidents and if there is any possibility that the patient may be concussed, any medical treatment must be attended to first.

Cosmetic problems

This includes broken dentures and lost artificial crowns.  These incidents can be very embarrassing and inconvenient and the dentist will make every effort to see you as soon as possible.  They are not, however, medical emergencies and they do not require immediate attention.  Do not attempt to repair a denture with super glue or similar as this may make it more difficult if not impossible for a satisfactory repair to be achieved.  Lost crowns should not be replaced in the mouth unless secured well as there is always a risk of swallowing or inhaling the crown and under no circumstances should an insecure crown be left in the mouth when asleep.

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Last modified: 30/01/2012