Emergency Dentistry
Dental pain does not wait.
A broken tooth, a swollen jaw, or a sleepless night in pain. These things need attention now, not next week. Call us as early in the day as possible and we will do everything we can to see you the same day.
The short version
What to do right now
Ring us on (02) 6672 1980 as early in the day as you can. We are open Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, at Level 1, Tweed Arcade, 2 Queen Street in Murwillumbah. Emergency slots are kept open each day, and they fill from the morning onwards, so a call at 8:30am gives you a far better chance of being seen today than a call at 3:00pm.
While you wait: for pain, take ibuprofen or paracetamol at the dose on the packet. For swelling, hold a cold compress against the outside of your cheek. For a knocked-out adult tooth, put it back in the socket if you can, or keep it in milk and come straight in. Do not put aspirin directly on the gum, because it burns the tissue.
If your face is swelling towards your eye or neck, or you are having trouble swallowing or breathing, that is beyond what a dental chair can safely handle. Go to a hospital emergency department.
I am Dr Daniel Johnston, the dentist at Biltoft. We are a small, family-run practice looking after people from Murwillumbah, Uki, Pottsville, Kingscliff and across the Tweed Valley. Most dental emergencies are not dramatic. They are a filling that fell out on a Sunday, a molar that has been grumbling for a fortnight and has finally started keeping someone awake, or a chip off a front tooth before a wedding. The point of this page is to tell you what to do in the first half hour, what we will actually do when you get here, and what it is likely to cost, so you can make a decision instead of guessing at midnight.
First aid
The first 30 minutes, by problem
Knocked-out adult tooth
This is the one where minutes genuinely count. Hold the tooth by the crown, never the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline, not tap water, and do not scrub it. Place it back into the socket the right way round and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it. If you cannot reseat it, drop it into a cup of milk. Milk keeps the root surface cells alive far better than water. Then ring us and come in. A tooth replanted quickly has a much better outlook than one that has been dry for an hour.
Knocked-out baby tooth
Do the opposite. A baby tooth should not be put back, because pushing it into the socket can damage the adult tooth forming underneath. Keep your child calm, press a clean cloth on the area to settle any bleeding, and ring us so we can check that nothing else was injured.
Broken or chipped tooth
Keep any pieces in milk and bring them with you. Rinse your mouth with warm salty water. If a sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek, orthodontic wax or a small piece of sugar-free chewing gum pressed over it will hold until you get here. Avoid chewing on that side. A chip that looks cosmetic can still have exposed the inner layer of the tooth, which is why a chip that suddenly becomes sensitive to cold is worth having looked at rather than waiting.
Severe toothache
Pain that throbs, wakes you at night, or lingers for more than a few seconds after something cold usually points to the nerve inside the tooth being inflamed or infected. Take ibuprofen or paracetamol at the dose on the packet, sleep with your head propped up, and avoid very hot or very cold food. Painkillers manage the symptom, not the cause, so a tooth that quietens down after a few days of tablets has not necessarily healed. Often it has simply gone quiet because the nerve has died.
Facial swelling or a dental abscess
Swelling means infection has spread past the tooth into the surrounding tissue. Ring us the same day. Do not apply heat to the outside of the face, and do not try to lance it yourself. If the swelling is closing your eye, tracking down into your neck, or you are finding it hard to swallow or breathe, go straight to a hospital emergency department instead of waiting for a dental appointment.
Lost filling or crown
Keep the crown if you still have it, because it can often be recemented. Clean the tooth gently and keep the area free of food. Chemists sell temporary dental cement, which is fine for a night or a weekend, but it is a holding measure rather than a repair. The risk in leaving it is that an unprotected tooth chips further or decays underneath, which turns a recementing job into a bigger one.
Bleeding after an extraction
Some ooze for a few hours is normal. Roll a clean gauze or a damp cloth into a firm pad, place it directly over the socket, and bite steadily for 20 minutes without checking it every two minutes, because lifting the pad restarts the process. Stay upright, skip hot drinks, alcohol and smoking for the rest of the day, and do not rinse vigorously. If it is still bleeding heavily after an hour of firm pressure, ring us.
Broken denture or appliance
Do not glue it. Household superglue is not safe in the mouth and it usually ruins the fit, which turns a straightforward repair into a remake. Bring the pieces in. If a plate is rubbing and has caused an ulcer, leave it out where you can and ring us.
Something wedged between the teeth
Try floss first, easing it down and out rather than sawing at the gum. If floss does not shift it, stop. Pins, knives and toothpicks cause more damage than the original problem. Pressure that persists after the food is gone can mean the contact between two teeth has opened up, which is worth checking.
When to call us
If any of these sound familiar, ring us today
Severe toothache
Persistent, throbbing pain, especially at night, usually means infection.
Broken or chipped tooth
Even a small crack can become a big problem quickly. Same-day repair protects the tooth.
Knocked-out tooth
Time is everything. Get to us within 30 minutes if possible, so we have the best chance of saving the tooth.
Facial swelling
Swelling in the face or jaw means infection. This needs immediate attention.
The appointment
What actually happens when you come in
An emergency visit is not the same as a check-up. The goal is narrower: work out what is causing the problem, get you comfortable, and agree a plan. We are not going to try to solve everything in your mouth while you are sitting there in pain.
We find out what is going on. A short conversation about when it started and what makes it worse, a look at the tooth and the surrounding gum, and usually a small X-ray. An X-ray is what separates a deep filling from an abscess at the root tip, and those two need very different treatment.
We tell you what we have found and what it will cost. Before anything is done, you get the options and an itemised quote. That includes the option of doing the minimum today and the definitive work later, which is often the right call when you are in pain and have not had time to think about money.
We settle the immediate problem. Depending on what is wrong, that might be draining an infection, removing decay and placing a temporary filling, recementing a crown, smoothing a sharp edge, starting root canal treatment to take the pressure off a dying nerve, or removing the tooth if that is genuinely the better option.
We book the follow-up if one is needed. A temporary filling is a bridge, not a destination. Leaving it as the permanent solution is how people end up back with the same tooth six months later, with less of it left to work with.
Antibiotics deserve a mention, because people often ring asking for them. They can help when an infection has spread into the surrounding tissue, but they do not fix the tooth. The infection starts inside the tooth, where the blood supply that carries an antibiotic no longer reaches. That is why a course of tablets often settles things for a fortnight and then the pain returns. The definitive treatment is to deal with the inside of the tooth.
Cost
What an emergency visit costs
There is no single number, and anyone quoting one before looking at the tooth is guessing. An emergency visit is made up of parts: the examination, an X-ray if one is needed, and then whatever treatment you agree to. A lost crown recemented in fifteen minutes and a molar needing root canal treatment are different jobs at different prices.
What we will do is give you an itemised quote before treatment starts, so you are deciding with the numbers in front of you rather than finding out afterwards. If cost is the reason you have been putting the appointment off, say so when you ring. It changes what we suggest, and there are usually options.
On the funding side: we have HICAPS on site, so if you have extras cover with general dental, the rebate comes off on the day and you pay the difference. What you get back depends on your fund, your level of cover, and how much of your annual limit is left. We also offer payment plans including Afterpay, DentiCare and Medipay, set out on our payment plans page. It is much easier to arrange that before treatment than partway through.
After hours
If we are closed
We are open Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. If something happens on a Friday night or over the weekend, most dental problems can be managed at home until Monday morning with over-the-counter pain relief, a cold compress, and avoiding the trigger. Ring us first thing Monday and say it is an emergency.
Some things should not wait for us. Go to a hospital emergency department if you have swelling that is affecting your breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading towards your eye or down your neck, bleeding you cannot control with 20 minutes of firm pressure, or a suspected broken jaw after an accident. The emergency department at Tweed Hospital, or your nearest hospital, is the right place for those.
If you are visiting the area rather than living here, you do not need to be an existing patient. People come to us from across the Tweed Valley and over the Queensland border, and a fair number of them are on holiday and did not plan on needing a dentist.
FAQs
Questions people usually ask
Can you see me today for a dental emergency?
Call us as early in the day as possible on (02) 6672 1980 and we will do everything we can to fit you in the same day. We are open Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. The earlier you ring, the better your chances of a same-day appointment, because emergency slots fill from the morning onwards.
What should I do if I knock out a tooth?
Pick up the tooth by the crown, not the root, and rinse it gently in milk or saline if it is dirty. Do not scrub it. Try to place it back in the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth. If you cannot reseat it, store it in milk and get to us as quickly as you can. The first 30 minutes matter most for an adult tooth.
How do I manage dental pain until my appointment?
Over-the-counter pain relief such as ibuprofen and paracetamol works for most situations. A cold compress on the outside of the cheek can help with swelling. Avoid putting aspirin directly on the gum, because it burns the tissue. Follow the dosage on the packet and check with your pharmacist if you take other medication.
What counts as a dental emergency?
Severe toothache that wakes you up, a knocked-out or broken tooth, facial swelling, uncontrolled bleeding after an extraction, or a lost crown or filling that has left a sharp edge. If you are not sure, ring us and we will help you work out whether it can wait.
How much does an emergency appointment cost?
It depends on what is needed, such as an X-ray, a temporary filling, an extraction, or managing an infection. We will give you an itemised quote before any treatment starts so you can decide with the numbers in front of you.
Do I need a referral for emergency dentistry?
No referral is needed. Just call us directly. If we are closed and your situation cannot wait, head to the emergency department at Tweed Hospital or your nearest hospital.
Is facial swelling serious?
Swelling in the face or jaw usually means an infection has spread beyond the tooth, so it should be looked at promptly. If the swelling is closing your eye, crossing to your neck, or you are having trouble swallowing or breathing, do not wait for a dental appointment. Go to a hospital emergency department.
Can I claim an emergency visit on my health fund?
If you have extras cover that includes general dental, you can usually claim on the day. We have HICAPS on site, so the rebate comes off the total and you pay the difference. What you get back depends on your fund, your level of cover and how much of your annual limit you have used.
What if I cannot pay for it all at once?
Talk to us before treatment starts. We offer payment plan options including Afterpay, DentiCare and Medipay, which are set out on our payment plans page. It is easier to sort this out at the start than partway through.
My child knocked out a baby tooth. Is that the same?
No. A knocked-out baby tooth should not be put back in the socket, because doing so can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Keep your child calm, control any bleeding with gentle pressure on a clean cloth, and ring us so we can check the area.
I am not a patient at Biltoft. Can I still come in?
Yes. You do not need to be an existing patient to be seen for an emergency. We look after people from Murwillumbah, Uki, Pottsville, Kingscliff and across the Tweed Valley, including visitors who are in the area and did not plan on needing a dentist.
Should I go to the hospital instead?
A hospital emergency department is the right call for facial swelling affecting your breathing or swallowing, a jaw injury, or bleeding you cannot control. For toothache, a broken tooth, or a lost filling, a dentist is better placed to treat the cause rather than just the pain.
Become Part of the Biltoft Family
Whether it has been months or years since your last visit, we are here to help you get back on track. No judgement, just gentle, attentive care.