A tooth that wakes you at night tends to feel worse by morning. If you are calling from Acton after a sleepless night, tell us about the pain and what you have taken, and we can discuss urgency, availability and an emergency examination.
Dental pain often seems to peak when you lie down, and a night of it leaves you tired, short-tempered and unsure how serious things are. Pain that disturbs sleep is worth reporting. An emergency dental examination takes what you've been feeling, adds your medical history and a hands-on check, and works out what is causing it and how quickly it needs attention.
Not every urgent visit starts at night, of course. People come in with a sudden crack, a swollen gum, a filling that has dropped out, a knock to the mouth or a problem after recent treatment. Expect the dentist to ask about your health and medicines in every case. The aching tooth you can feel may be the source, or it may be a neighbour; the examination finds out before any treatment is chosen.
Once morning comes, phone us from Acton and describe the night you've had. The team can go over open times and whether a visit with us is a sensible starting point. Should you need care sooner than we can offer, or be unable to get through, an alternative emergency dental provider is the better route. Don't leave urgent symptoms waiting on an online message.
Ordinary words are fine. A plain account of how the pain behaves and what you've done about it tells us whether you should come to us or whether another kind of care would be wiser.
Say which area it seems to come from, when it started and whether it builds on its own or flares with food, drink or lying down. Mention how often it woke you and what pain relief you took, with times. There's no need to keep testing it; your description is part of the assessment.
Describe anything that looks or feels different, such as puffiness or a broken edge, and whether there was a fall or blow. Note whether your teeth still meet normally and whether a piece is missing. Mention the timing, even if the pain has eased.
Give the date and type of treatment and explain how this differs from what you were told to expect. Bring the aftercare instructions if you have them. This helps distinguish a recovery question from a fresh problem that needs examining.
Waking with swelling that makes it hard to breathe or swallow, swelling that is spreading fast or is severe, bleeding that won't settle, or a serious head or face injury needs emergency medical care. Call 911 or attend hospital emergency without delay.
After a bad night, you may simply want the tooth gone or the pain stopped by any means. The examination checks whether the step you have in mind would solve the actual problem. Ask the dentist to explain how what they found connects with what they suggest, and to be candid about anything they can't yet confirm.
You should also leave knowing what happens next: whether something can be done at this visit, whether you'll need to come back or whether another provider should be involved. If the plan has stages, ask which one will make the most difference to your sleep and comfort first.
Patient information: American Dental Association — individualized selection of dental imaging
Ask what was seen and what the tests indicated, and what that means for the tooth or gum. You can ask for ordinary words before treatment terms. Once you understand why it hurts, the options are much easier to compare.
X-rays can reveal things that aren't visible, but they should be chosen after the history and examination, with recent images considered. Ask what a particular X-ray should clarify.
Find out whether today's step is definitive care, temporary relief, more investigation or a review. Each has a different aim. Knowing which helps you avoid assuming the problem is solved because the pain has eased for now.
The dentist chooses tests based on your symptoms and the findings. If anything makes you uneasy, say so and ask them to explain or stop for a moment.
Describe how the pain began, its pattern at night and during the day, any earlier treatment and everything you've taken. Share allergies, conditions and prescriptions, plus pregnancy, anxiety or other relevant circumstances.
The dentist looks at the teeth and soft tissues and may carry out suitable clinical tests. Because night pain can be hard to locate, neighbouring teeth are often checked. Ask what each test is looking for.
Earlier records may be reviewed and new images taken when they'd help. The dentist then explains what they've found and their working diagnosis. If the cause isn't settled, ask what remains open and which step would help.
Talk through recommended care, alternatives, limits, timing and fees before deciding. Confirm what the examination includes and what is separate. Leave knowing the plan for your next appointment and which changes should prompt an earlier call.
Treatment may happen at the examination or at a later visit. Before leaving, be clear which applies and how to manage until then.
Request the main findings in a form you can look back on. Write down the tooth or area involved and what the next appointment is for. If a different clinician will treat it, check which records should go to them, with your consent.
Ask which pain relief is appropriate for your health and other medicines, and follow the package directions or pharmacist's advice. Don't take someone else's prescription or assume this problem needs what a past one did.
Report new swelling, pain that worsens or wakes you more often, or other changes. The advice you were given was based on the findings at the time, and a different pattern may need a different response.
General information about the assessment. For your own symptoms, please call; booking requests made online are reviewed as non-urgent.
After a rough night, phone our Bronte Street practice to describe the toothache, swelling, injury or post-treatment concern, and to hear what assessment times are available. If your symptoms can't wait and we're unreachable, another available provider should see you.
Our online form isn't for emergencies. Exactly what the examination covers, along with imaging, treatment, referral, timing and fees, depends on what is found, and same-visit treatment isn't guaranteed.
