A weekend dental emergency can feel harder to handle because most dental clinics, including ours, are closed on Saturday and Sunday. In short: call 000 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department for serious warning signs, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 if you’re not sure how urgent it is, and use simple first aid for everything else until you can see a dentist.
For a broader overview of urgent tooth problems, read our dental emergency guide.
Step one: check for hospital warning signs
A dentist isn’t the right first stop for every problem. Call 000 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department straight away if you, or someone you’re caring for, has:
- difficulty breathing or swallowing
- swelling that is spreading to the eye, neck or floor of the mouth
- a high temperature with facial swelling, or feels very unwell
- bleeding that won’t stop after 15–20 minutes of firm pressure
- a possible broken jaw, or a jaw that won’t open or close properly
- a knock to the head with loss of consciousness, vomiting or confusion
Hospitals can manage airway problems, spreading infections, heavy bleeding and injuries, but usually can’t repair a tooth, so you’ll still need a dentist afterwards.
Step two: not sure how urgent it is? Call healthdirect
If there are no warning signs but you’re worried, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222. It’s a free service staffed by registered nurses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The nurse will ask about your symptoms and help you decide whether to go to hospital now, see a GP or after-hours doctor, or manage at home until a dentist can see you.
A GP can assess facial swelling or a fever and decide whether you need medication. Don’t take leftover antibiotics or someone else’s prescription. Antibiotics only help some dental infections, and they need to be prescribed for you.
How to manage a weekend dental emergency at home
Most weekend tooth problems can be kept comfortable until Monday with simple first aid. Many pharmacies open on weekends and can help with pain relief and supplies.
Toothache
- Rinse with warm salty water and floss gently around the tooth in case food is trapped.
- Take over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, taken as directed on the pack, if it’s safe for you. Check with a pharmacist if you take other medicines or have a health condition.
- Hold a cold pack wrapped in a cloth against the outside of your cheek for 10–15 minutes at a time.
- Chew on the other side and avoid very hot or cold food.
- Don’t put aspirin, heat or anything else directly on the gum or face.
Knocked-out adult tooth
This is the one weekend problem that can’t wait until Monday, because the chance of saving the tooth is highest within about 30 minutes.
- Pick the tooth up by the crown (the white chewing part), not the root.
- If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or water. Don’t scrub it.
- Gently push it back into the socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it in place.
- If you can’t, keep it in milk, or in the mouth against the cheek (adults only).
- Seek urgent care straight away. Call healthdirect or go to your nearest hospital emergency department for advice on where to be seen.
Never put a baby tooth back in, as this can damage the adult tooth developing underneath.
Broken tooth, lost filling or loose crown
Rinse your mouth with warm water. Keep any broken pieces in milk or saline and bring them with you. Cover sharp edges with dental wax or sugar-free gum to protect your tongue and cheek. If a crown comes off, keep it in a small container and don’t glue it back with household glue. A temporary filling kit from the pharmacy may cover a hole for a day or two.
Bleeding after an extraction
Fold a clean gauze pad or cloth, place it over the socket and bite down firmly for 15–20 minutes without checking. Sit upright and avoid rinsing, spitting, hot drinks, smoking and vaping. If the bleeding won’t stop, go to hospital.
Gum or facial swelling
Use a wrapped cold pack on the outside of your cheek and don’t put heat on your face. Don’t try to pop a lump on the gum. If the swelling spreads, or you develop a fever, go to hospital.
What to have ready for Monday
Call us from 9am on Monday. We aim to see urgent problems as soon as possible, often on the same day. Read more about our same-day emergency dentist appointments. Having these ready helps your appointment run smoothly:
- a short timeline of what happened and when the pain or swelling started
- what pain relief you’ve taken, how much and when
- your medical history, a list of your medicines (especially blood thinners) and any allergies
- any paperwork, prescriptions or X-rays from a hospital or GP visit over the weekend
- broken pieces of tooth, a crown or a denture in a small container
- photos of any swelling taken over the weekend, so your dentist can see whether it has changed
When you see our emergency dentist in North Sydney, your dentist will examine the area, take X-rays if needed and focus on relieving pain first. Depending on the cause, you may need a filling, root canal therapy or an extraction, and your options and costs will be explained before any treatment.
How to lower the chance of a weekend dental problem
- Don’t ignore a tooth that has been sensitive or aching during the week. Call us before Friday afternoon.
- Wear a mouthguard for weekend sport, including training.
- Don’t chew ice or hard lollies, or use your teeth to open packets.
- Keep a small kit at home: gauze, dental wax, a small container and pain relief you know is safe for you, and save healthdirect’s number in your phone.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go to hospital for a toothache on the weekend?
Yes, if you have warning signs such as difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading to your eye or neck, a fever or bleeding that won’t stop. Hospitals can manage pain and infection but usually can’t repair the tooth, so you’ll still need to see a dentist.
Is North Sydney Dentistry open on weekends?
No. We’re open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. On weekends, call 000 or go to hospital for serious symptoms, or call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for advice, then call us when we open.
Can a knocked-out tooth wait until Monday?
No. The chance of saving a knocked-out adult tooth is highest within about 30 minutes. Put it back in the socket or keep it in milk and seek urgent care straight away. Never put a baby tooth back in.
Can I use a temporary filling kit from the pharmacy?
A pharmacy temporary filling kit may cover a lost filling or small hole for a day or two. It isn’t a long-term fix, so book in with a dentist as soon as you can.
Need help now?
North Sydney Dentistry is at Level 1, Suite 102/71 Walker St, North Sydney, a two-minute walk from North Sydney station. We’re open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm, and keep time aside for urgent problems where we can. Call (02) 8090 1108 or book online.
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for advice from your own dentist or doctor. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.