Urgent dental care when you don't have a dentist

If you have swelling that affects your breathing, swallowing or vision, heavy bleeding that won't stop, or a serious injury to your face or mouth, call 999 or go to A&E.

You don't need to be registered with a dentist to get urgent NHS dental care in England.

Step 1: Use NHS 111

Call 111 or use 111.nhs.uk. They'll ask about your symptoms and, if you need to be seen, can book you an urgent dental appointment, including at evenings and weekends in many areas.

If you do have a regular dentist, phone them first during opening hours. Many keep urgent slots for their own patients.

What usually counts as urgent

NHS 111 decides this based on your answers, but urgent dental problems typically include:

• severe toothache that painkillers aren't controlling
• swelling in your mouth or face
• a knocked-out adult tooth or a badly broken tooth
• bleeding after a tooth extraction that won't stop

A lost filling or a chipped tooth without pain is usually not urgent, but a dentist should still see it.

What it costs

Urgent NHS dental treatment costs £27.90 in England (from 1 April 2026), unless you're entitled to free NHS dental treatment. It covers treatment to stabilise the problem. You may need a further course of treatment afterwards, which is charged separately.

While you wait for an appointment

• A pharmacist can advise you on pain relief that's suitable for you.
• Keep a note of your symptoms and when they started, so you can describe them clearly.
• If things get worse while you wait, contact NHS 111 again.

DentalWatch can't give medical or dental advice. Always follow what NHS 111 or a dental professional tells you.

Finding ongoing care

Urgent care fixes the immediate problem but doesn't make you an ongoing patient. To find a practice for check-ups and treatment, search your postcode or set an alert for practices near you.