Emergency dental care in Palakollu
Severe pain, swelling, a broken or knocked-out tooth, what to do right now, and when to go to a hospital instead of a dental clinic.
If you have facial swelling spreading towards the eye or neck, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that will not stop, go to the nearest hospital emergency department immediately.
For dental pain, swelling, a broken tooth or a knocked-out tooth, call +91 89852 66444 and come in during clinic hours, patients in pain are seen ahead of routine appointments. For a knocked-out permanent tooth, come immediately: the chance of saving it falls sharply after the first hour. For facial swelling affecting breathing or swallowing, go to a hospital emergency department instead.
What to do, by situation
Knocked-out permanent tooth
Act within the hour. Hold the tooth by the crown, never the root. Rinse briefly in milk or saline if dirty, do not scrub. Push it gently back into the socket and bite on a clean cloth. If you cannot, keep it in a cup of milk and come immediately. Never store it in plain water.
Severe toothache
Take your usual painkiller at its normal dose. Rinse with warm salt water. A cold pack on the cheek helps. Avoid very hot and very cold food. Do not put aspirin on the gum. Come in the same day.
Facial or gum swelling
Come in the same day, without waiting to see if it settles. If the swelling is spreading towards your eye or down your neck, or you cannot swallow or breathe comfortably, go straight to a hospital emergency department.
Broken or chipped tooth
Save any fragment in milk. Rinse your mouth with warm water. If a sharp edge is cutting your tongue, cover it temporarily with sugar-free chewing gum or orthodontic wax. Come in the same day if it hurts, within a few days if it does not.
Crown or filling has come out
Keep the crown. It can often be recemented. Do not glue it back with household adhesive. Avoid chewing on that side and keep the area clean. Come in within a few days.
Bleeding after an extraction
Roll clean gauze or a cotton handkerchief into a firm pad, place it over the socket and bite firmly for 30 minutes without checking. If it is still bleeding heavily after that, call us or go to a hospital.
Broken brace wire
Cover the sharp end with orthodontic wax. If a wire is digging in badly, it can be tucked down with the blunt end of a spoon. Do not cut it yourself. Come in as soon as convenient.
Sudden pain under a denture
Take the denture out and let the area rest, but bring the denture with you so we can adjust it. Do not file it yourself.
Dry socket after extraction
Severe throbbing pain starting three to four days after an extraction, often radiating to the ear. It is treatable and the relief is quick, come in rather than waiting it out.
Dental clinic or hospital? A clear line
| Symptom | Go where |
|---|---|
| Toothache, even severe | Dental clinic |
| Localised gum swelling | Dental clinic, same day |
| Broken or knocked-out tooth | Dental clinic, immediately |
| Swelling spreading to the eye or neck | Hospital emergency department |
| Difficulty breathing or swallowing | Hospital emergency department |
| Fever with facial swelling | Hospital emergency department |
| Bleeding that will not stop | Hospital emergency department |
| Injury to the jaw or face after an accident | Hospital emergency department |
Emergency ambulance in Andhra Pradesh: 108. Health helpline: 104.
Outside our hours
We are a clinic, not a 24-hour hospital, and we will not pretend otherwise. Outside opening hours, use the guidance above, manage the pain, and come in when we open. For anything on the hospital list, do not wait for us.
Common questions
Can I walk in without an appointment if I am in pain?
Yes. Come in during clinic hours and tell reception you are in pain, pain is triaged ahead of routine appointments. Calling +91 89852 66444 on the way helps us prepare.
What can I take for the pain until I get there?
Take the painkiller you would normally take for a headache, at its normal dose, unless a doctor has told you not to. Do not place an aspirin tablet against the gum. It burns the tissue and does not help the tooth. Do not start leftover antibiotics from a previous illness; the wrong antibiotic at the wrong dose makes the situation harder to treat.
Is a dental abscess dangerous?
It can be. Most stay localised and are treated straightforwardly. But infection that spreads into the tissue spaces of the face and neck is a genuine medical emergency, particularly if it affects breathing or swallowing. That is why the swelling and breathing warnings at the top of this page matter.
My child knocked out a tooth. Does it matter if it is a milk tooth?
A knocked-out milk tooth should not be pushed back in, replanting it can damage the permanent tooth developing underneath. Bring the child in to check for fragments and injury. A knocked-out permanent tooth is the opposite: replant it immediately or keep it in milk and come at once.
In pain right now?
Call +91 89852 66444 and tell us what is happening. Walk-in patients in pain are seen ahead of routine appointments.
