Pure Smiles provides emergency dental care for registered patients in Fulham and surrounding areas, including evening and weekend cover. If you are experiencing a dental emergency, call 020 7736 6276 and either Dr Ayzaaz Akram or a member of our team will arrange to see you as quickly as possible.
Dental emergencies do not follow office hours, and they rarely give warning. As part of our commitment to your care, registered patients at Pure Smiles have access to emergency cover that allows you to get the treatment you need without the stress of searching for an unfamiliar dentist.
Not every dental problem is an emergency, but some situations require prompt attention to prevent lasting damage, relieve severe pain, or save a tooth. Here is how to determine whether your situation needs urgent care.
| Emergency | Why It Is Urgent | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Knocked-out adult tooth | Can be replanted if treated within 1 hour | Handle by crown only, keep moist in milk, call immediately |
| Severe toothache | May indicate abscess or infection | Call for same-day appointment |
| Dental abscess | Infection can spread to surrounding tissues | Seek urgent care, antibiotics may be needed |
| Broken tooth with sharp edge | Can cut tongue, cheek, or lips | Call for same-day repair |
| Significant facial swelling | May indicate spreading infection | Seek immediate care, go to A&E if breathing affected |
| Uncontrollable bleeding | After extraction or trauma | Apply firm pressure, call for advice |
| Jaw injury | Possible fracture | A&E first, then dental follow-up |
A knocked-out permanent tooth is the most time-critical dental emergency. If treated within 30-60 minutes, the tooth can often be successfully replanted.
1. Pick up the tooth by the crown (the white part). Never touch the root.
2. If dirty, rinse gently with milk or the patient’s own saliva. Do not scrub the root or use soap.
3. Try to replant it. Push the tooth back into the socket and hold it in place by biting gently on a clean cloth. This is the best option if possible.
4. If you cannot replant it, place the tooth in a container of milk, saliva, or a specially designed tooth preservation solution. Do not let the tooth dry out.
5. Call Pure Smiles immediately on 020 7736 6276. Time is critical.
Important: do not attempt to replant a baby (primary) tooth. This can damage the developing adult tooth underneath.
Sudden, intense toothache often indicates an infection within the tooth (pulpitis) or an abscess at the root tip. While waiting for your emergency appointment:
If a tooth breaks, save any pieces if possible. Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. If bleeding, apply gentle pressure with clean gauze. A cold compress on the outside of the mouth reduces swelling.
If the break has exposed the nerve (you will likely know from the intense pain), this is an urgent situation requiring same-day treatment to prevent infection and relieve pain.
A lost filling or crown is not usually a true emergency, but the exposed tooth can be sensitive and vulnerable to further damage.
A dental abscess is a collection of pus caused by bacterial infection. Signs include severe throbbing pain, swelling (which may spread to the face, jaw, or neck), fever, and a foul taste in the mouth.
Abscesses do not resolve on their own and require professional treatment. If swelling is affecting your ability to swallow or breathe, go directly to A&E — this is a medical emergency.
While accidents cannot always be avoided, many dental emergencies are preventable with good ongoing care.
Regular check-ups. Routine dental examinations at Pure Smiles allow us to identify weakened teeth, failing restorations, and early signs of infection before they become emergencies. A small filling today prevents a cracked tooth or abscess tomorrow.
Wear a mouthguard for sport. Custom-made mouthguards from your dentist provide far better protection than shop-bought alternatives. If you or your children play contact sports, rugby, hockey, martial arts, or any activity with a risk of facial impact, a mouthguard is essential.
Address grinding and clenching. Bruxism weakens teeth over time, increasing the risk of cracks and fractures. If you grind your teeth at night, a custom night guard protects against damage. We also offer Cerezen ear canal inserts for TMJ-related bruxism.
Avoid using teeth as tools. Opening bottles, tearing packaging, or biting nails puts unnecessary stress on teeth and is a common cause of chips and fractures.
Manage your diet. Hard sweets, ice, popcorn kernels, and crusty bread are frequent culprits behind cracked teeth. Biting down unexpectedly on something hard can fracture even a healthy tooth.
Our approach to emergency dentistry focuses on three priorities in order:
1. Relieve pain — we address your immediate discomfort first
2. Stabilise the situation — treatment to prevent further damage or spread of infection
3. Plan definitive treatment — once the emergency is managed, we discuss longer-term solutions if needed
Emergency appointments are kept as calm and reassuring as possible. We understand that dental emergencies are stressful, and our team is experienced in helping anxious patients through urgent situations.
Our evening and weekend emergency cover is available to registered patients of Pure Smiles. If you are not registered and experience a dental emergency, call NHS 111 for guidance on finding emergency dental services in your area. We also recommend registering with a dental practice before an emergency arises.
We aim to see emergency patients on the same day wherever possible. Call 020 7736 6276 as early as you can, and our team will arrange the earliest available appointment.
Registered patients can contact our principal dentists for evening and weekend emergencies via the practice phone number. For life-threatening situations involving difficulty breathing or severe facial swelling, call 999 or go directly to A&E.
Costs depend on the treatment required. We will always explain any costs before proceeding with treatment. Emergency examinations and temporary measures are typically straightforward and affordable. More complex treatment will be discussed and agreed with you before we proceed.
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For emergency dental care in Fulham, call Pure Smiles on 020 7736 6276. We are located at 257 New Kings Road, SW6 4RB and 750a Fulham Road, SW6 5SH.
