If you’ve just been seen at our Edgware clinic for a dental emergency, or you’re about to be, the worst is usually over. The pain is under control, you know what caused it, and you’ve got a written plan for what happens next. This page covers that next part: what to expect in the hours and days after an emergency dental appointment, how to look after the tooth we’ve just treated, and how to avoid ending up back here with the same problem.
The first few hours after your appointment
Most emergency treatment involves local anaesthetic, so your lip, cheek or tongue may stay numb for a few hours. Be careful eating until the feeling comes back. It’s very easy to bite your cheek without noticing. Stick to soft food and lukewarm drinks, and chew on the other side where you can.
Some tenderness once the anaesthetic wears off is normal, especially after an extraction or the first stage of root canal treatment. Over-the-counter painkillers, taken as directed on the packet, are usually enough. Your dentist will tell you at the appointment if you need anything more. If you’ve been given antibiotics for an infection, finish the course even if you feel better after a day or two.
Your written treatment plan: what it means
At Toothi, every emergency appointment ends with a written plan, and every item on it is quoted before anything is done. It usually covers two things: what we did today to get you out of pain, and what’s needed to fix the problem properly.
The second part matters, because a lot of emergency dentistry is a first stage on purpose. It deals with today’s problem, but the tooth still needs finishing:
- Temporary filling or dressing: a temporary material protects the tooth for weeks, not years. It needs replacing with a permanent white filling before it wears or leaks.
- First-stage root canal: if we opened the tooth and dressed the nerve to stop the pain, the root canal treatment still needs finishing, and the tooth often needs a crown afterwards to protect it long term.
- Extraction: once the socket has healed, it’s worth talking about replacing the tooth, as neighbouring teeth can drift into a gap over time. Options range from a bridge or denture to a dental implant. You don’t need to decide on the day.
- Recemented crown or veneer: if the same crown keeps coming loose, the tooth underneath may need looking at, so tell us if it happens again.
Looking after your mouth in the first 24–48 hours
The advice depends a bit on your treatment, and we’ll always give you specific instructions. These general rules help most people:
- Keep the area clean. Brush gently around (not on) a healing site, and from 24 hours after an extraction, rinse with warm salt water after meals.
- Avoid very hot drinks, alcohol and smoking for the first day or two. They all slow healing.
- After an extraction, don’t rinse hard or poke the socket on day one. The blood clot that forms is part of healing.
- Eat soft food and don’t chew directly on a temporary filling or freshly recemented crown for the first day.
When to get back in touch straight away
Most people recover without any trouble, but call us on 020 3148 2444 if the pain is getting worse rather than better after two to three days, if swelling increases, if bleeding won’t stop with gentle pressure, or if a temporary filling or crown comes out. If you get swelling that affects your breathing or swallowing, or bleeding you can’t control, go to A&E. That’s one of the few dental situations where hospital is the right place.
Why finishing the treatment plan is worth it
It happens a lot. The pain stops, life gets busy and the follow-up appointment slips. But whatever caused the emergency (decay reaching the nerve, a crack, an infection) doesn’t usually go away just because the symptoms have. Finishing the plan while the fix is straightforward is nearly always simpler and costs less than waiting for a second emergency with the same tooth.
Every item on your plan is quoted in writing first, our full price list is on our fees page, and 0% finance is available on treatment over £250. Cost shouldn’t have to be the reason a tooth stays half-fixed.
From emergency patient to Toothi patient
Many of the people we see as emergencies have never been to us before, and a lot of them stay. There’s no obligation, but if you don’t have a regular dentist at the moment, here’s what registering with Toothi looks like:
- Routine check-ups that prevent emergencies. Most dental emergencies start as small, painless problems that a check-up picks up early, well before they turn into a weekend toothache.
- Weekend opening. We’re open Saturdays and Sundays, which makes routine appointments realistic if you work Monday to Friday.
- One team that knows your history. If you’ve had an emergency with us, your X-rays and notes are already here, so your follow-up and future care just carry on.
- Everything under one roof in Edgware. From hygiene visits to implants and cosmetic treatment, at 1 Handel Parade, Whitchurch Lane, a short walk from Edgware station.
To register, see our new patients page, use our contact page, or just mention it at your follow-up appointment.
Frequently asked questions
How long will my tooth hurt after emergency treatment?
Some tenderness for a few days is normal, and it should ease a bit each day. Pain that gets worse after two to three days, or new swelling, isn’t part of normal healing. Call us on 020 3148 2444 so we can check the tooth.
How long does a temporary filling last?
Temporary materials are meant to protect a tooth for a few weeks while you arrange permanent treatment. They wear down and can leak, so book the permanent filling or next stage of treatment promptly rather than waiting for it to fail.
Do I have to have the follow-up treatment at Toothi?
No. Your written plan is yours, and you can take it to any dentist. Most patients find it easiest to carry on with us because the diagnosis, X-rays and notes are already done, and every item is quoted in writing before we start.
What does follow-up treatment cost?
It depends on what the tooth needs, so everything is quoted individually in writing first. Our current price list is on our fees page, and 0% finance is available on treatment over £250.
I lost a tooth — how soon should I think about replacing it?
You don’t need to decide straight away, and the socket needs time to heal first. It’s worth talking it through within a few months, though, because neighbouring teeth can slowly drift into a gap. We’ll go through bridges, dentures and implants with you so you can choose what suits you.
Can I register with Toothi as a regular patient after an emergency visit?
Yes. Lots of our regular patients first came to us in pain. Just mention it at your appointment or visit our new patients page and we’ll sort it out. We’re open weekends, so check-ups fit around work.
In pain now, or need to book your follow-up? Call us on 020 3148 2444 or visit our emergency dentist page. Same-day emergency appointments are £65, including weekends.
