Coronavirus : Managing your toothache at home

Due to enforced closure of all dental practices, we have put together a brief guide of home treatments you can try until you can get to see the dentist again, or until Urgent Care Hubs have been established.

1. Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums are usually due to gum disease, and will not stop until brushing improves. Brush twice a day for two minutes, and concentrate especially on the areas that are bleeding. Use floss or TePe brushes to clean between your teeth every day.

2. Ulcers

Most ulcers usually heal within 7-10 days. To ease the pain try:     

  • Warm saltwater mouthwash
  • soft diet
  • painkillers
  • Corsodyl mouthwash (max 1 week use)
  • Iglu mouth ulcer gel 

3. Rubbing dentures

Denture adhesives like Fixodent may help secure a loose denture

4. Wisdom Tooth Pain

Most flare-ups can be managed with good home care.

  • Thorough cleaning even if painful
  • Corsodyl mouthwash ( Max 1 week use)
  • Soft Diet
  • Warm saltwater mouthwash 
  • Pain killers

If you have difficulty swallowing, or experience swelling in your cheek , you may need anti-biotics. Call your dentist or 111.

5. Tooth sensitivity

If you have extreme sensitivity to hot or cold, sensitive toothpaste may help. Rub the toothpaste directly onto the affected area. Don't rinse. 

The following non-urgent dental care conditions may need to wait until practices are up and running again:

  • Loose/lost crowns, bridges & veneers. You can temporarily stick them back in with sugar-free gum if you wish
  • Broken, rubbing or loose dentures
  • Broken,loose or lost fillings
  • Chipped teeth with no pain
  • Loose orthodontic wires.

   Go straight to A&E if you have:

  • facial swelling affecting your vision, breathing or preventing your mouth opening more that 2 fingers width
  • Trauma causing loss of consciousness. double vision or vomiting.

You need urgent dental treatment if you have:

  • Facial swelling extending to eye, neck or floor of mouth
  • Bleeding following an extraction that does not stop after 20 minutes of solid pressure with a gauze wad
  • Toothache that is preventing sleep, combined with swelling or fever that is not manageable with pain killers.

Please be aware that at this time we cannot provide face to face consultations. This applies to all dental practices in England.  Our on-call clinicians are available to our registered patients via the practice telephone number. They will only be able to advise whether you can take painkillers/may need anti-biotics prescribed.

Patients who have confirmed or suspected Covid-19 should take paracetamol in preference to ibuprofen. Always take medication in accordance with instructions on the packet,