During working hours, patients in pain or in an emergency situation should call the surgery first thing in the morning to arrange an appointment. We will do our best to see genuine emergencies within 24 hours. 

In the evenings, weekends and public holidays we participate in the Local Area Emergency Dental Clinic. This is held in Dalriada Clinic, Ballymena every evening from 7-9.30pm There are additional sessions each Saturday and Sunday morning (and during selected holiday periods) from 9am to 1pm. Call the emergency telephone number 08702411437 for the dentist on call.

The service is for genuine emergencies only such as:

• Trauma
• Swelling
• Bleeding
• Severe pain

If you normally pay for your dental treatment there is a charge at this clinic.

• If you have pain without facial swelling you can purchase painkillers from any chemist. Always take the advice of the pharmacist and ensure to inform them of any current medication or medical conditions eg. asthma, stomach ulcers that you may have.
• Avoid hot/cold/hard foods as this may make the pain severe.
• Contact your dentist for treatment.

• This usually is a sign that there is infection or an abscess
• Contact your dentist for treatment. However if the swelling is severe or you feel sick, have a temperature or the swelling is affecting your swallow or breathing, you must attend your local casualty department urgently.

• If the crown is at the back of your mouth leave it out and keep in a safe place until you attend your dentist.
• If the crown is at the front of your mouth you can buy temporary cement from some chemists. Denture fixture
  (eg. Polygrip) can also hold the crown in place for a short period. It is not advisable to eat or sleep with the crown retained by these methods.

• If the socket is just oozing gently see advice sheet on dental extraction
• If the socket is bleeding heavily or persistently you need urgent attention. Apply pressure to the socket as mentioned above and attend the local casualty department.

• If the broken tooth is as a result of a fall and you are concerned about other injuries,
  go immediately to the hospital casualty department.
• If the tooth is broken while eating or the result of a lost filling, some chemists have temporary filling pastes that can be placed in the broken tooth to reduce the pain and irritation.
• The tooth maybe sensitive to hot and cold. It may be sensible to avoid food/drinks that make the discomfort worse.
• Contact your dentist for an appointment’

DO NOT re-implant first (baby) teeth.

If the permanent/second/adult tooth is knocked out, it is important to re-implant the tooth immediately

• Hold the tooth by the crown, not the pointed root.
• Do NOT scrub or touch the root.
• Gently push the tooth back into the socket - make sure it is the correct way round.
• Bite on a clean hanky to hold the tooth in place.
• Attend your dentist or hospital emergency department immediately. If you can't put the tooth back in,
  place it in a cup of milk - don't let it dry out.

Download advice sheet

Download advice sheet - Dental extraction

Download advice sheet - Denture wearers

Download advice sheet - Knocked out tooth

Download advice sheet - Tooth whitening