If you have a broken tooth or a chipped tooth at the weekend, rinse your mouth with warm water, keep any pieces in milk, and call a dentist. The Tooth Spa in Chapel Allerton, Leeds is open on Saturdays and keeps appointments free for dental emergencies. On a Sunday, when we are closed, NHS 111 can direct you to urgent dental care. Most broken teeth can be repaired, and the sooner one is seen, the simpler the repair tends to be.
What to do in the first hour
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1Rinse gently with warm water to clear away blood and any fragments.
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2Save the pieces. Put them in a clean pot of milk, or your own saliva, and bring them with you. Sometimes they can be bonded back on.
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3Stop any bleeding. Bite on a clean piece of gauze or a folded cotton handkerchief for 10 to 15 minutes.
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4Bring down swelling. Hold a cold pack wrapped in a tea towel against your cheek, ten minutes on and ten minutes off.
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5Take pain relief you would normally use, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, following the instructions on the packet. Do not place aspirin on the gum. It burns the tissue.
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6Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free chewing gum or orthodontic wax so it does not cut your tongue or cheek.
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7Protect the tooth. Chew on the other side and avoid very hot, cold, hard or sticky food and drink.
Is a broken tooth an emergency?
It depends on what you can see and feel. Use this as a guide.
Go to A&E or call 999 if:
- the bleeding will not stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure
- swelling in your face or neck is spreading, is closing your eye, or is making it hard to swallow or breathe
- you were knocked out, or you may have broken your jaw or other bones in your face
See a dentist the same day if:
- an adult tooth has been knocked out completely or pushed out of position
- the pain is severe and painkillers are not controlling it
- you can see a pink or red spot in the middle of the break, which means the nerve is exposed
- your gum or face is swollen
See a dentist within a few days if:
- a small chip has come off and the tooth is not painful
- a filling or crown has come out and the tooth is comfortable
- the tooth is rough or sensitive but you can eat and sleep
Not sure which group you are in? Our guide to what counts as a dental emergency goes into more detail, or you can ring us and we will tell you.
What if the whole tooth has been knocked out?
An adult tooth that has been knocked out can sometimes be saved, but time matters. The best chance is within 30 to 60 minutes.
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1Pick the tooth up by the crown, the white part you normally see. Do not touch the root.
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2If it is dirty, rinse it for a few seconds in milk or cold water. Do not scrub it.
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3If you can, push it gently back into the socket the right way round and bite on a clean cloth to hold it there.
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4If you cannot put it back, keep it in milk or tucked inside your cheek.
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5Get to a dentist straight away.
Do not put a baby tooth back in. It can damage the adult tooth growing underneath. Our post on children’s dental emergencies covers what to do instead.
Where to get help in Leeds at the weekend
Saturday
The Tooth Spa is open on Saturdays. Call 0113 262 5545 as early in the day as you can, or message us on WhatsApp on 07739 659343, and we will do our best to see you the same day. You do not need to be registered with us. An emergency consultation is £59, or from £47.20 for members of our dental plan. Any treatment is quoted separately before it is carried out.
Sunday
We are closed on Sundays. If you need urgent dental help and cannot wait, call NHS 111 or use 111 online, and they will direct you to an urgent dental service. For a small chip with no pain, follow the first-hour steps above and call us when we open on Monday morning.
Bank holidays
We cover bank holiday weekends for dental emergencies. Call 0113 262 5545 and we will arrange to see you.
Weekday evenings
We offer evening appointments on several weekdays, which helps if a tooth breaks at work or over dinner. Our contact page has our current opening times.
How will the dentist fix a broken tooth?
That depends on how much of the tooth is left and whether the nerve is involved. After an examination, and often an X-ray, your dentist will explain the options and the cost before starting.
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1Small chipOnly the hard outer enamel is affected. Usually repaired with a composite (white) filling.
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2Large breakMore of the tooth is lost. A crown is often needed to rebuild and protect it.
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3Break reaching the nerveRoot canal treatment, usually followed by a crown.
| The problem | Usual treatment | Our fee |
|---|---|---|
| Small chip | Composite (white) filling | From £165 |
| Lost filling or broken corner | White filling | From £165 |
| Large break | Crown | From £924 |
| Break reaching the nerve | Root canal treatment, usually followed by a crown | Root canal from £495 |
| Tooth cannot be saved | Extraction, then a discussion about replacing it | Simple extraction from £176 |
Fees are correct at the time of writing. See our fees page for the current price list. At an emergency visit the aim is to get you out of pain and make the tooth safe. A permanent repair such as a crown may need a second appointment.
Can I leave a chipped tooth if it does not hurt?
Can a broken tooth heal by itself?
Do I need to be a patient at The Tooth Spa to be seen in an emergency?
Should I go to A&E with a broken tooth?
How can I stop it happening again?
Broken a tooth in Leeds? Call us
We are at 47 Potternewton Lane, Chapel Allerton, Leeds LS7 3LW, with free parking and ground-floor access. Call 0113 262 5545 and tell us what has happened. We will get you seen as soon as we can. You can also read more about our emergency dentist service in Leeds.
This article is general information and not a substitute for an examination and advice from a dentist. Clinically reviewed by Dr Ahmer Imtiaz.