What to do, and what it costs.

A toothache that lingers usually means decay has reached the nerve, or there's an infection brewing. It rarely settles on its own.

What to do right now

Rinse with warm salty water, and take paracetamol or ibuprofen if you're able to (follow the packet, and ibuprofen tends to work well for dental pain). Keep away from very hot, very cold or sugary things for now, and please don't hold an aspirin against the gum, it burns the tissue. Pain that's keeping you up, or comes with swelling, means it's time to be seen.

What we'll likely do

We start with a £20 assessment and X-ray to find the cause. From there it's usually a filling (£149–£349), root canal treatment to save the tooth (£399–£950), or an extraction if the tooth is past saving (from £149). You'll have the price in writing before anything starts.

A chip might just be rough and sharp; a bigger break can expose the sensitive inner tooth and start to hurt. Either way it's worth sorting before it gets worse.

What to do right now

Keep any pieces and pop them in a little milk in case we can use them. Rinse your mouth gently with warm water, and if a sharp edge is catching your tongue, a bit of sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax over it helps until you're seen. Painkillers are fine if you need them.

What we'll likely do

After the £20 assessment, a small chip is often smoothed or rebuilt with composite bonding (from £299). A larger break may need a filling (£149–£349) or a crown (£650–£895). If the nerve's involved you might need root canal first (£399–£950).

A fully knocked-out adult tooth is one of the few true dental emergencies where minutes really matter. The sooner it's back in, the better the chance of saving it.

What to do right now

Pick the tooth up by the white crown, never the root. If it's dirty, rinse it for a second or two in milk or saline, and don't scrub it or wrap it in tissue. If you can, gently push it back into the socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it. If you can't face that, keep it in a cup of milk (or tucked inside your cheek) and get to us straight away. The first hour is what counts most.

What we'll likely do

We'll re-seat and splint the tooth where possible (assessment from £20). If it can't be saved, we'll talk through replacement options later, usually a dental implant (£1,999) or a bridge (from £595). Call ahead on the way in so we're ready for you.

A lost filling or crown leaves the tooth underneath exposed and sensitive. It's not usually painful straight away, but the tooth is vulnerable until it's covered again.

What to do right now

If you still have the crown, keep it safe and bring it in, we can often re-cement the same one. Avoid chewing on that side, keep the area clean, and you can cover an exposed filling cavity temporarily with sugar-free gum or pharmacy dental cement if it's sharp. Steer clear of very hot or cold things, which is what usually triggers the twinge.

What we'll likely do

At the £20 assessment we check the tooth underneath. Re-cementing a sound crown is quick; a new filling is £149–£349, and a replacement crown is £650–£895 if the old one can't be reused.

Swelling usually means infection, often an abscess at the root of a tooth. It needs proper treatment, not just painkillers, because it won't clear on its own.

What to do right now

Rinse with warm salty water and take painkillers as needed. Most importantly: if the swelling is spreading towards your eye or down your neck, or you're struggling to swallow or breathe, treat that as a medical emergency and go to A&E or call 999, that's beyond a dental problem. Otherwise, get seen the same day.

What we'll likely do

After the £20 assessment and X-ray, we relieve the pressure by draining the infection, get you onto antibiotics where appropriate, and then treat the cause, usually root canal to save the tooth (£399–£950) or an extraction (from £149).

Wisdom teeth often flare up when they're coming through at an awkward angle and the gum around them gets sore or infected. It can come and go, then come back worse.

What to do right now

Warm salty-water rinses really help here, along with painkillers and sticking to softer foods for a day or two while it calms down. Keeping the area clean matters, as trapped food makes it worse. If your jaw's stiff, you're feverish, or it keeps returning, it's worth getting it looked at properly.

What we'll likely do

We assess with an X-ray (from £20) to see what the tooth is doing. Sometimes it's a clean and some advice; often the answer is removal, a straightforward extraction (from £149) or a surgical one for trickier roots (£549), with sedation available if you're anxious (£399).

Some oozing after an extraction is normal for a few hours. Bleeding that genuinely won't slow down, or comes from an injury, needs attention.

What to do right now

Sit upright, roll a clean piece of gauze or a damp (cooled) tea bag into a pad, place it over the spot and bite down firmly for 15 to 20 minutes without checking it. Try not to rinse, spit hard or poke it with your tongue, that dislodges the clot that's trying to form. If it's still flowing heavily after 20 to 30 minutes, call us or come in.

What we'll likely do

We'll find the source and settle it (assessment from £20), whether that's repacking a socket, a stitch, or treating an injury. If you're on blood-thinners, let us know when you call so we're prepared.

Knocks to children's teeth are common and usually look scarier than they are. The right first move depends on whether it's a baby tooth or an adult one.

What to do right now

Comfort them first and have a gentle look. If it's a baby (milk) tooth that's come out, don't try to put it back in, that can harm the adult tooth growing underneath. If it's an adult tooth, handle it by the crown and keep it in milk, and ring us straight away. For chips, bleeding gums or a wobbly tooth, a cold compress on the cheek and a soft-food day help while you bring them in.

What we'll likely do

We see children gently and without rushing (assessment from £20). Treatment is tailored to their age and the tooth involved, and we'll always explain everything to you both before we do anything.