Symptoms & diagnosis
Severe tooth pain or swelling?
When dental pain becomes acute, the priority is to identify the cause. During your assessment we will investigate the likely source of the problem and explain the appropriate next steps.
What to tell us when you get in touch
When booking, please tell us if you have:
- severe or spontaneous pain, especially pain that disturbs sleep;
- swelling of the gum or face;
- a tooth that has been knocked, chipped or loosened (see dental trauma);
- a tooth you are unable to bite on comfortably;
- symptoms in a tooth that has already had root canal treatment.
If your dentist has seen the tooth recently, ask them for any X-rays they have taken so that the assessment can be planned efficiently.
While you wait for your appointment
- Take over-the-counter pain relief according to the packet instructions, unless your doctor has advised otherwise.
- Avoid very hot, cold or hard foods on the affected side.
- Keep the area clean; gentle warm salt-water rinses can help if the gum is sore.
- Do not place aspirin or other tablets directly on the gum — this can burn the tissue.
When to seek urgent medical care instead
Rapidly increasing facial swelling, swelling that affects your ability to swallow or breathe, or severe illness with a high temperature can indicate a spreading infection and requires urgent medical assessment. Contact NHS 111 or emergency services rather than waiting for a dental appointment.
What happens at an urgent assessment
We identify the source of the pain, relieve it where possible at the same visit — for example by opening and dressing an infected tooth — and explain the options for definitive treatment. Not every acute toothache requires root canal treatment; our diagnosis of tooth pain page explains how the cause is confirmed.