Extra urgent dental appointments now available

Extra appointments are now available for people in Lancashire and South Cumbria who need urgent or unscheduled dental care.

These appointments are part of the 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments being rolled out across the country.

The appointments are available at some local NHS dental practices. A list of participating practices is available on the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) website.

If people are unable to get an appointment, they can call the Lancashire and South Cumbria dental helpline on 0300 1234010 or use NHS 111.

For full details including where to get an appointment, visit www.lancashireandsouthcumbria.icb.nhs.uk/our-work/your-local-services/dentistry

Amy Lepiorz, associate director primary care at the ICB, said: “We know how important it is to local people that they can get urgent dental care when they need it, so we’re pleased to be offering these extra appointments.

“The appointments are for urgent dental care only, so for routine dental treatment please call your regular dental practice.”

Urgent dental conditions include:

• Severe toothache: persistent and intense pain that cannot be managed with over-the-counter painkillers.
• Dental abscess: infection causing swelling, pain, and possibly fever.
• Broken or knocked-out tooth: trauma resulting in a fractured or completely dislodged tooth.
• Bleeding in mouth following a dental procedure or an injury that doesn’t stop by itself but can be self-controlled using local measures. Note that if bleeding cannot be self-controlled in any way, emergency care may be necessary.
• Swelling: significant swelling in the mouth or face that could indicate an infection.
• Fractured, loose or displaced fillings causing pain.
• Severe bleeding from gums, or acute conditions affecting other soft areas of the mouth (such as cheeks or tongue) which require urgent treatment.
• Other treatments may be available at the discretion of the dentist. These treatments may require extra visits and costs.

For more information, visit www.lancashireandsouthcumbria.icb.nhs.uk/our-work/your-local-services/dentistry