Out of Hours Emergencies
What to do, and who to ring, when something goes wrong and we are shut.
24/7 Guidance
Someone to call at any hour.
NHS 111
Free advice and referrals, 24/7.
Pain Management
Getting through until morning.
Follow-Up
We pick it up when we reopen.
Emergency outside our hours?
NHS 111 gives free urgent dental advice and can arrange emergency care.
These things rarely happen on a Tuesday afternoon.
Toothache has a habit of arriving on a Friday evening. If you have severe pain, swelling or an injury while we are closed, the useful thing is knowing who to ring and what will help in the meantime. That is what this page is for.
Who to call
If a dental problem flares up when we are closed:
Ring NHS 111 — free, day or night, from any phone. They will go through your symptoms, advise on pain relief and refer you to an out-of-hours dental service if you need one.
The out-of-hours dental service — 111 will point you to the nearest emergency clinic covering this part of Lincolnshire. They deal with severe pain, swelling, trauma and infection.
A&E only if it is serious — uncontrolled bleeding, facial swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, a significant jaw injury, or signs of a spreading infection.
Start with NHS 111
111 runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year. When you call, the team can:
- Talk through your symptoms and how urgent they are
- Advise on managing pain until you can be seen
- Refer you to an out-of-hours emergency dental service
- Direct you to hospital if the problem calls for it
Dial 111 — free from landlines and mobiles, including pay-as-you-go. There is also an online assessment at 111.nhs.uk.
Getting through until you are seen
None of this treats the problem, but it makes the wait bearable:
- Ibuprofen and paracetamol, taken as directed on the packets — they work better together than either alone
- Warm salt water rinses
- A cold compress held against the cheek for swelling
- Keeping off anything very hot, very cold or sugary
- Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy if a filling or crown has come out
And please do not:
- Hold aspirin against the gum — it burns the tissue and does nothing for the tooth
- Try to lance or squeeze an abscess
- Wait it out if swelling is increasing or swallowing is getting harder
All of the above buys time, nothing more. Get it looked at properly as soon as you can.
When it is A&E rather than a dentist
Most dental emergencies are not hospital matters, and A&E is not equipped to treat teeth. Go there for:
Uncontrolled Bleeding
Bleeding that has not stopped after fifteen to twenty minutes of firm, continuous pressure.
Facial Swelling
Swelling that is making it hard to breathe or swallow. This is the one that genuinely cannot wait until morning.
Suspected Broken Jaw
Any suspected fracture of the jaw after a fall, a blow or an accident — straight to hospital.
Severe Infection
A temperature alongside difficulty opening your mouth, swallowing or breathing means the infection is spreading. Hospital, now.
For toothache, lost fillings or broken teeth, the emergency dental route is the right one. A&E is not set up for it and you will wait a long time.
Once we are open again
If you were treated elsewhere out of hours, ring us when we reopen so we can:
- See what was done and whether it holds
- Book whatever follow-up the tooth actually needs
- Get you back onto your usual care
Emergency treatment is nearly always temporary by design. The definitive work still needs doing, and we would rather do it before the temporary fails.