1. What if I am scared?
This is very common. Dental treatment has changed and people are often surprised how much easier treatment can now be compared with a few years ago. Always speak to your dentist about your fears rather than ignore the problems until they become worse. Consider intravenous sedation which allows dental treatment with "twilight sedation". Many people find this a great solution and lose their fear after a couple of visits.

2. How do I control pain?
Usually most dental pain can be controlled by over the counter products eg. Neurofen / Paracetamol etc.- please check with your pharmacist first and follow the recommended dose! Following some treatments pain may be expected for a day or two and medication may need to be continued. Should problems continue it is best to arrange a consultation with your dentist as soon as convenient.

3. Where can I get emergency treatments?
Your dentist should be the first point of contact if this is possible. If the emergency is out of hours eg. weekends there should be a message on the answer machine with a contact number to be used for registered patients. In more severe cases it may be necessary to call the local A and E or the London Dental Hospitals.

4. What should I do following an extraction or surgery?
It is important to rest and keep your mouth as clean as possible by regularly rinsing with salty water 3x daily. It is very important not to smoke for at least 5 days. If you have problems with bleeding you should bite on a clean hanky and sit quietly for 15 minutes. If the problem is persistent please contact your dentist. Take your usual medication for pain relief unless otherwise instructed.



Online Leaflets
Want general information on a condition or treatment? Visit the British Dental Health Foundation where they have over 40 online leaflets.

Online Resource
Want to find out about dental treatment? Want to know how to look after your teeth better? Visit the new BDA Smile web site.

3D Education
Want to learn about dental anatomy, conditions, treatments and good oral health? Visit the BDA's cutting edge 3D Educational web site.