What should I do if I get toothache while visiting Dubai?
If you have facial swelling with fever, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling spreading to the eye or neck, go to a hospital emergency department or call 998. For toothache, a broken tooth or a lost crown, call a dental clinic during opening hours and describe the problem. Creative Arts in Jumeirah, Dubai, is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00 and sees visitors. Keep your invoice and report for your travel insurer.
Who treats you here Dr. Duaa Ameen General Dentist · Dr. Julia General Dentist · Dr. Marina Antoniuk Dentist
Every dentist’s licence can be checked on the DHA Sheryan medical directory.
Dentist or hospital: where should a visitor go first?
Most dental problems on a trip, such as toothache, a chipped tooth, a lost filling or a crown that has come off, are for a dental clinic, not a hospital. A hospital emergency department can control pain and treat a spreading infection, but it usually cannot fill, crown or repair a tooth.
A few situations are different and need a hospital straight away, whatever time it is: facial swelling with fever or feeling unwell, difficulty breathing, swallowing or opening the mouth, swelling spreading towards the eye or down the neck, bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure, or a head or face injury from a fall or accident. In the UAE, the ambulance number is 998. If you are unsure, treat it as urgent.
Which holiday dental problems can wait, and which cannot?
A general guide for adults. If something is getting worse quickly, do not wait.
| Problem | What to do now | Can it wait until you fly home? |
|---|---|---|
| Toothache without swelling | Pain relief as directed on the pack, soft food, avoid very hot, cold or sweet food | Sometimes, if it is mild and settling; a few days of strong or throbbing pain should be seen |
| Swollen gum or face | Cold compress wrapped in a cloth; do not apply heat or squeeze the swelling | No. Facial swelling needs a dentist the same day, or hospital if any red flag is present |
| Broken or chipped tooth | Keep any pieces in milk; cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or wax | A small chip without pain often can; a large break or a pink spot in the tooth should be seen |
| Lost crown | Keep the crown safe; avoid chewing on that side; do not glue it with household adhesive | Often, for a back tooth; a front crown usually feels more urgent to patients |
| Lost filling | Keep the area clean; a temporary filling kit from a pharmacy can help for a few days | Usually for a few days, unless it is painful |
| Knocked-out adult tooth | Hold it by the crown, put it back or keep it in milk, and get to a dentist immediately | No. The first hour matters most |
| Broken brace wire or bracket | Cover the sharp end with orthodontic wax | Often, if it is comfortable; contact your orthodontist at home for advice |
Holiday food, such as hard nuts, seeds and ice, causes many of these problems. A few days of soft food after any repair helps it last.
How do you get seen at a dental clinic as a tourist?
Call or send a WhatsApp message during opening hours and say clearly that you are visiting. Describe what happened, when it started, where the pain or swelling is, and whether it is getting worse. A photo of the area helps the team judge how quickly you need to be seen. Mention the date you are flying home, because that changes what the dentist will aim to do.
Bring a list of any medicines you take and any allergies, and details of recent dental treatment, especially if the problem involves work done at home, such as a new crown or implant. Creative Arts is at 614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, and is open every day, including Friday and Sunday, from 10:00 to 20:00. We do not offer a 24-hour service, and we cannot promise a same-day slot, but we will tell you honestly how soon we can see you.
What can a dentist realistically do before you fly home?
For a visitor, the first aim is to stop the pain, control any infection and make the tooth safe for the rest of the trip and the flight. Definitive treatment can often be completed later by your own dentist. Typical examples:
- Inflamed or infected nerve: the root canal can be opened and cleaned to relieve pressure, with a temporary filling placed so your dentist at home can finish it. Our page on root canal treatment explains the stages.
- Lost crown: if the crown and the tooth underneath are intact, it can often be cleaned and re-cemented. Our guide to a crown that has fallen off explains what to do first.
- Broken tooth: a sharp edge can be smoothed or rebuilt with a filling; a large break may need a temporary cover and a crown later.
- Abscess: drainage and starting treatment of the tooth, with antibiotics only if the dentist judges them necessary for spreading infection.
If you have a longer stay, permanent treatment may be possible in Dubai, but crowns and veneers need laboratory time of typically 3–5 working days, so ask before committing.
Ask for your records before you leave
Request a short written report of what was found and done, and copies of any X-rays. Your dentist at home will need them to complete the treatment, and your travel insurer will usually ask for them with the itemised invoice.
Does travel insurance cover emergency dental treatment in Dubai?
Many travel insurance policies include emergency dental treatment, but usually only to relieve sudden pain, and often with a low limit. Routine or cosmetic work, and problems that existed before you travelled, are commonly excluded. Before treatment, check your policy or call its assistance line: some insurers ask to be contacted first, and some have preferred providers.
Visitors without local insurance usually pay the clinic at the time of treatment and claim afterwards, so ask the clinic about payment when you book. Keep the itemised invoice, the dental report and the X-rays, and note the date and time the problem began. If you are a UAE resident rather than a visitor, our dental insurance guide explains how local health insurance treats dental care.
Need to be seen in Dubai? See how our emergency dentist service works, what counts as urgent and how to reach us during opening hours.
Emergency dentist in DubaiCan you fly with toothache or after emergency dental treatment?
Toothache is not usually a reason not to fly, but changes in cabin pressure can make a tooth with an existing problem, such as an inflamed nerve, a leaking filling or a recent abscess, hurt more during the flight. Air trapped under a poorly sealed filling, or sinus congestion around the upper back teeth, can do the same. Having the tooth checked before a long flight is sensible, especially if the pain is throbbing.
After an extraction or other surgery, ask the dentist how long to wait before flying; our guide to flying after dental surgery explains the usual advice. Facial swelling should always be assessed before you fly, because it can increase quickly.
What if it happens at night, or you need first aid now?
If a problem starts after the clinic has closed, our guide to a dental emergency at night in Dubai explains what can wait until morning and what cannot. Many pharmacies in Dubai keep late hours and a pharmacist can advise on over-the-counter pain relief that suits your health and other medicines. For step-by-step help with a broken tooth, a knocked-out tooth or bleeding, see our dental first aid guide.
If you are planning to have treatment in Dubai rather than dealing with an emergency, our dental tourism page explains how visits for planned treatment are organised.