In short
- Call or WhatsApp first. We will tell you if you should come in, and what to do on the way.
- A knocked-out adult tooth has the best chance if it goes back in within 30 to 60 minutes.
- Never put a knocked-out baby tooth back in.
- A tooth abscess does not go away on its own. It needs a dentist.
- Trouble breathing, swallowing, or swelling near the eye or neck means hospital, not a dental clinic.
What to do right now
Pick what has happened. Each tab gives the first-aid steps from NHS and IADT 2020 guidance. Then call or WhatsApp us using the buttons above.
Toothache often gets worse at night. These steps from the NHS toothache page (reviewed July 2024) can ease it until you see a dentist:
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen, following the packet. Children under 16 should not take aspirin.
- Adults can rinse with warm salt water (half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water). This is not for children.
- Eat soft food and chew on the other side. Avoid very hot, cold or sweet food and drink.
See a dentist soon if the pain lasts more than 2 days, painkillers do not help, or you have a fever, pain when biting, red gums, a bad taste or a swollen cheek or jaw.
Time matters most here. The NHS advises treatment within 30 minutes to 1 hour if you can. The IADT 2020 guideline says most of the cells on the root are no longer alive after 30 minutes out of the mouth and dry.
Adult tooth:
- Pick it up by the white top (the crown). Do not touch the root.
- If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk, salt water or saliva. Do not scrub it.
- Push it gently back into the gap, the right way round.
- Bite on a clean cloth or gauze to hold it in place.
- Come to a dentist straight away.
If you cannot put it back, keep it wet. The best choice is milk, then saliva or salt water. Plain water is poor, but it is better than letting the tooth dry out.
Baby (milk) tooth: do not put it back. It can harm the adult tooth growing underneath. Bring your child in so a dentist can check the area.
If a piece of tooth has broken off, put it in milk or saliva and bring it with you. A dentist may be able to stick it back on (NHS, reviewed January 2025).
- For pain, use the toothache steps.
- Eat soft food on the other side.
- If the break came from a hard blow to the face, check the hospital list below first.
A dentist needs to examine the tooth to know what it needs. Small chips may need a filling. Bigger breaks may need a cap (crown) or a root canal.
Swelling in the gum or face is often a sign of a tooth abscess, a pocket of pus from an infection. The NHS (reviewed March 2026) is clear that an abscess will not go away on its own.
- Call us so a dentist can see you soon.
- Painkillers can help while you wait. Rinsing with warm salt water may ease it for adults.
- Treatment is draining the pus under local anaesthetic, then a root canal or taking the tooth out. Antibiotics may also be given.
If the swelling spreads towards your eye or neck, or you find it hard to breathe, swallow, speak or open your mouth, go to hospital now.
Some oozing after a tooth is taken out is normal. If it keeps bleeding:
- Roll up clean gauze or cloth and place it over the socket.
- Bite down firmly for at least 10 minutes without checking (NHS).
- Sit up and rest. Do not rinse hard or spit.
If heavy bleeding will not stop after pressing, go to a hospital emergency department.
A lost filling or cap (crown) is rarely urgent, but the tooth can be sensitive or sharp.
- Keep the crown in a clean, closed container and bring it with you.
- Eat soft food on the other side.
- If it hurts, use the toothache steps.
- Call or WhatsApp us to arrange a visit.
Go to a hospital emergency department instead if…
Some problems need a hospital, not a dental clinic. Do not drive yourself. Ask someone to take you, or call an ambulance.
Get urgent care if
- You find it hard to breathe, swallow or speak.
- Swelling in your face is spreading to your eye or down your neck, especially with a fever, or your eye is swollen or your eyesight changes.
- You have a lot of swelling in your mouth, or you cannot open your mouth.
- You have a serious injury to your face or jaw, or a head or face injury that made you pass out, vomit or see double.
- Heavy bleeding from your mouth will not stop after pressing.
These signs come from the NHS pages on toothache, dental abscess and emergency dental care, reviewed 2024 to 2026.
How we handle emergencies
- Call or WhatsApp first. Tell us what happened and when. We will say whether to come in now, and what to do on the way.
- We check you and explain. A dentist examines the area and may take an X-ray. You hear what is wrong and the options before anything is done.
- You hear the cost first. We tell you the price of each option before we start.
- Pain relief first, the full fix later if needed. Some problems are sorted in one visit. Others, like a root canal, may need more visits.
Our opening hours are on the contact page. We cannot promise a waiting time, because it depends on how many people need help that day. If we cannot see you in time, we will tell you where to go.
What an emergency visit costs
Published Kathmandu clinic prices for a dental consultation ranged from NPR 200 to 1,000 in October 2026. A small tooth X-ray was usually NPR 400 to 500. Treatment is extra and depends on what the dentist finds:
- A simple extraction was typically NPR 2,000 to 4,000.
- A root canal on a back tooth was typically NPR 11,000 to 16,000, with the cap (crown) extra.
- A tooth-coloured filling was typically NPR 2,000 to 3,500.
| Treatment | Our price (NPR) | Typical visits |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency dental care | From NPR 800 emergency visit, treatment extra | 1 |
See all treatments on our price list. For what happens next, read about root canal treatment and tooth extraction.
The dentists who do this treatment
Clean and safe
Emergency visits follow the same cleaning and sterilising steps as every other visit. Read how we clean and sterilise. If you are scared of dentists, our page for nervous patients explains how we can go slowly.
Sources
- Guidelines for the management of traumatic dental injuries: 2. Avulsion of permanent teeth (IADT), International Association of Dental Traumatology (2020)
- Knocked-out tooth, NHS (2025-02-06)
- Toothache, NHS (2024-07-01)
- Dental abscess, NHS (2026-03-18)
- Chipped, broken or cracked tooth, NHS (2025-01-09)
- How to find an emergency dentist, NHS (2025-05-14)
- Wisdom tooth removal (recovery and bleeding), NHS (2024-06-12)
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to know what is right for your teeth.
