What should I do in a dental emergency?
In a dental emergency, call AMK Dental Clinic on (02) 9739 6525 first, so we can advise you on what to do and when to come in. Please phone rather than booking online, because we need to understand your symptoms. Friday mornings (9am to midday) are set aside for dental emergencies.
Call 000 or go to a hospital emergency department straight away if you have:
- swelling that makes it hard to breathe, speak or swallow
- swelling spreading to your eye or neck
- a lot of bleeding that will not stop, or blood going down your throat
- a head injury, or an injury to the jaw or face
Concord Repatriation General Hospital has an emergency department (accessed via Hospital Road, Concord), a short drive from Mortlake. For life-threatening emergencies, call 000.
What should I do if a tooth is knocked out?
If an adult tooth is knocked out, find it and act fast. Healthdirect says there’s a good chance an adult tooth can be saved, and advises getting to a dentist or hospital within 30 minutes. The Australian Dental Association’s dental trauma advice is:
- Pick up the tooth by the crown (the white part you normally see), not by the root.
- If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline. Do not scrub it.
- Put it back in the socket the right way round, if you can.
- Bite gently on a soft cloth or tissue to hold it in place.
- If you can’t put it back, keep it in milk or saliva. Do not store it in water or wrap it up dry.
- See a dentist within 30 minutes if possible. Call AMK Dental Clinic on (02) 9739 6525 on the way.
Knocked-out baby teeth are not put back in the mouth, because this can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Keep the tooth in milk and bring your child in to be checked.
What should I do about a broken or chipped tooth?
If a tooth breaks or chips, rinse your mouth with warm water and call us for an appointment. Healthdirect advises placing any broken piece in milk or sterile saline and bringing it to your dentist.
A cold compress on your cheek can help with swelling. Avoid chewing on that side. A chip may only need smoothing or a filling, while a larger break may need a crown or root canal treatment. Your dentist will explain the options after an examination and X-ray. Read more on our general dentistry page.
What should I do about toothache?
Toothache is pain in or around a tooth, often caused by decay, a cracked tooth, gum problems or an infection. Call AMK Dental Clinic if you have toothache, especially if it keeps you awake or is getting worse.
Healthdirect recommends seeing a dentist if toothache lasts more than 2 days or does not improve with pain relief, or if you have a fever above 38°C, pain when biting, a bad taste, or swelling in your cheek or jaw. Until you are seen:
- take over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, as directed on the packet and if suitable for you
- rest with your head raised
- rinse with warm salt water
- use a cold compress on the outside of your cheek
What should I do about facial or gum swelling?
Facial or gum swelling can be a sign of a dental abscess, which is a pocket of infection that needs a dentist’s care. Call AMK Dental Clinic promptly if you notice swelling in your gum, cheek or jaw.
If swelling affects your breathing, speaking or swallowing, or spreads towards your eye or neck, go to a hospital emergency department straight away or call 000. Healthdirect notes that antibiotics alone are not enough to treat a tooth abscess, so you will still need dental treatment to deal with the cause.
What if it happens outside opening hours?
Outside opening hours, call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222. A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can tell you where to get care. For severe swelling, difficulty breathing or bleeding that will not stop, go to your nearest hospital emergency department or call 000.
Our current opening hours are on the Contact page. When we next open, call AMK Dental Clinic on (02) 9739 6525 so we can arrange follow-up care.
How can I reduce the risk of dental emergencies?
Many dental emergencies can be prevented. Regular check-ups and cleans help find decay and cracks before they become painful. A custom-made mouthguard for contact sport helps protect teeth from injury, and a night guard can help protect teeth if you grind them. Ask us about either at your next visit.
Common questions
What counts as a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is any dental problem that needs prompt care to relieve severe pain, control infection or save a tooth. Examples include severe or persistent toothache, facial or gum swelling, a knocked-out adult tooth, a broken or cracked tooth, and bleeding after an extraction that will not stop. If you are unsure, call AMK Dental Clinic on (02) 9739 6525 and we will advise you.
What should I do if an adult tooth is knocked out?
Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown, not the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline and do not scrub it. If you can, push it back into the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth. Otherwise store it in milk or saliva, not water, and see a dentist within 30 minutes. Knocked-out baby teeth are not put back.
What can I take for toothache?
Until you can see a dentist, over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen may help, taken as directed on the packet and if suitable for you. Healthdirect also suggests resting with your head raised, rinsing with warm salt water and using a cold compress on your cheek. Call AMK Dental Clinic if pain lasts more than 2 days, or sooner if you have swelling or a fever.
When should I go to hospital instead of the dentist?
Go to a hospital emergency department if you have swelling that makes it hard to breathe, speak or swallow, swelling spreading to your eye or neck, a lot of bleeding that will not stop, or a head or jaw injury. Concord Repatriation General Hospital has an emergency department close to Mortlake. Call 000 if life is at risk.
What if I have a dental emergency outside opening hours?
Outside opening hours, call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222. A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to advise you where to get care. For severe swelling, difficulty breathing or bleeding that will not stop, go to your nearest hospital emergency department or call 000. Then call AMK Dental Clinic when we next open.