Introduction
This
leaflet
provides
you
with
information about how to access
emergency dental care, whether you are
registered with a dentist or not. There
are different instructions depending
upon whether you want to access dental
care during the day or after 6pm.
During the day (from 8.30am to
4.30pm) on weekdays (Mon-Friday)
Registered patients
During the day, patients who are
registered with a dentist should phone
their registered practice and speak to
the receptionist. They should explain
their problem and they may be given an
appointment, the time of which will be
tailored to their particular problem.
Unregistered patients
During the day, unregistered patients
should phone the Dental Enquiry Line
(0845 300 0930). A trained dental call
handler will take your details and
information regarding your dental
problem. You will then either be given
an appointment to attend one of the
“access” clinics, or you may be advised
of alternative arrangements being made
to care for you.
The Dental Enquiry Line operates
Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm.
During the evenings/ at night (from
6pm-8am) Monday to Friday
Registered patients
After 6pm on weeknights, if your dentist
does not provide emergency cover,
registered patients should phone NHS24
(08454 242424) and the dental problem
should be explained to the nurse. If the
problem is a serious dental emergency,
you will be instructed to go to the local
Accident and Emergency department. If
you have an urgent dental problem
(severe pain, mild infection or swelling)
you will be advised to contact your
registered practice and should ask to be
seen within 24 hours. Less urgent
problems may not be allocated space for a
week or so.
Unregistered patients
After 6pm on weeknights, unregistered
patients should phone NHS24 (08454
242424) and the dental problem should be
explained to the nurse. If the problem is a
serious dental emergency, you will again
be instructed to go to the local Accident
and Emergency department. If you have
an urgent dental problem (severe pain,
infection or mild swelling) you will be
advised to contact the Dental Enquiry Line
as soon as possible after 8.30 the next
morning. You will either be given an
emergency appointment or told to come
and sit and wait at certain clinics.
Weekends and Public Holidays
If you have a dental problem at a weekend
or on a public holiday all patients (both
registered and unregistered) should phone
NHS24 (08454 242424) and the dental
problem should be explained to the nurse.
If the problem is a serious dental
emergency, you may be instructed to go
to the local Accident and Emergency
department or to one of the dental clinics
if there are scheduled clinics taking place.
If you have an urgent dental problem
(severe pain, infection or mild swelling)
you will be given an appointment to attend
the out-of-hours dental clinic within 24
hours.
Your Appointment
You must make every effort to attend your
dental appointment. Demand for dental
appointments is high. If you cannot attend
your appointment please let us know
immediately. We will then be able to
allocate your appointment to someone
else.
Payment
If you are not exempt or eligible for
remission of charges, then you will have
to pay the NHS fee for the treatment you
receive at the appointment.
Some Common Questions:
Will I now be registered?
No – the treatment you receive will be on
an emergency basis. You will need to join
our waiting list for NHS registration. We
would always encourage patients to try to
find a dentist themselves in their area.
Patients requiring further treatment may
be offered another appointment or be
referred to a specialist service if
necessary
Why am I getting a temporary filling?
Teeth with large or sensitive cavities are
often inflamed or infected. Temporary
fillings contain medicines which help
settle the tooth, increasing the chances
of successfully filling your tooth later.
Pain
Over the counter painkillers, such as
paracetamol and ibuprofen can be very
effective. Follow the instructions carefully,
taking the recommended dose. NEVER
exceed this dose.
Can I still get my tooth extracted if it
is infected?
Yes – this would be what we would
hope to do if your tooth needed removal.
Sometimes when there is a very bad
infection and there are difficulties
numbing your tooth, it is necessary to
drain the infection and give you
antibiotics for a few days. This will clear
up the infection so we can extract your
tooth at a later appointment.
Serious Injury to Teeth
Adult teeth can be pushed back into
position or re-implanted by a dentist if this
takes place shortly after the accident. This
can also be done at the local A&E
department. Take the tooth stored in milk
with you. Handle only the crown of the
tooth, DO NOT touch the root.
“Baby” teeth are never replanted
.Although the child should still be seen by
a dentist to check for other damage.
Bleeding
It is normal to have a little bleeding and
red saliva after a tooth extraction. Look
in the mouth and find the source of the
bleeding. DO NOT rinse with water.
Place a clean damp folded tissue / pack
over the bleeding point and bite firmly
on to it for 20 minutes, while sitting
quietly. Do not disturb the folded tissue/
pack until this time has passed.
Inlay, Crown or Bridge Falls Out
Keep it safe and take it with you to the
dentist.
After 20 mins, remove the tissue/ pack
and check if the bleeding has stopped. If
not, repeat for 30 minutes. If no
improvement – seek advice following
the instructions above.
Ulcers
Mouth ulcers are very common and many
are the result of trauma to the skin lining
the mouth. Almost all will heal in about 14
days if the cause of the injury is removed.
Mouth cancer can sometimes appear as
an ulcer and this can be successfully
treated if found early.
IF YOU HAVE AN UNEXPLAINED
ULCER OR RED PATCH IN YOUR
MOUTH WHICH LASTS FOR MORE
THAN 2 WEEKS CONTACT A DENTIST
OR DOCTOR PROMPTLY.
Borders
EMERGENCY DENTAL
CARE
NHS BORDERS
DENTAL SERVICE
Telephone
Borders Emergency Dental Service
0845 300 0930