Dental pain - Adults - Safety netting advice

When to seek further review

Arrange a dental appointment if toothache lasts more than 2 days, is not controlled by pain relief, or comes with fever, pain on biting, a bad taste or swelling of the cheek or jaw.
Seek urgent dental advice for increasing swelling or severe pain. A GP cannot provide the dental treatment needed to fix the cause.
If your dentist is closed, you do not have a dentist, or you are unsure where to get urgent dental care, call NHS 111.
Do not wait for the suggested review time if symptoms become worse, new symptoms appear, or you are worried.
Contact your GP when the surgery is open. If it is closed, you cannot get the help you need, or you are unsure what to do, call NHS 111. You can call even if you are not sure whether the symptoms are serious.

When to get emergency help
(Immediately dial 999 or go to your nearest Emergency Department)

Swelling around the eye or in the neck.
Swelling in the mouth or neck causing difficulty breathing, swallowing or speaking.
Rapidly increasing facial swelling with severe illness or collapse.
Severe difficulty breathing, such as gasping or being unable to speak normally.
New confusion or not making sense when speaking.
Being very difficult to wake.
Collapse or loss of consciousness.
Blue, grey, unusually pale or blotchy skin or lips, especially when feeling very unwell.

How to spot sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection. It can get worse quickly. If someone is seriously unwell and may have sepsis, call 999 or go to your nearest Emergency Department. Do not wait for every sign, a high temperature or a rash.

An unwell child under 5 who has not had a pee or wet nappy for 12 hours needs emergency assessment. If you are unsure and there are no emergency signs, call NHS 111 for advice.

Adult sepsis signs: slurred speech or confusion; extreme shivering or muscle pain; no urine in a day; severe breathlessness; feeling extremely unwell; mottled or discoloured skin. — Adults

Child sepsis signs: very fast breathing; a fit or convulsion; mottled, bluish or pale skin; a rash that does not fade under pressure; very difficult to wake; abnormally cold. Under-5 warning signs also include not feeding, repeated vomiting or no urine for 12 hours. — Children

Sources

NHS - Dental painhttps://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/toothache/
NHS - Sepsishttps://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/
NHS - When to use NHS 111https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care-services/when-to-use-111/

When to seek further review

When to get emergency help(Immediately dial 999 or go to your nearest Emergency Department)

How to spot sepsis

Sources

When to get emergency help
(Immediately dial 999 or go to your nearest Emergency Department)