Broken tooth
Keep any fragments in milk or water; front-tooth pieces can sometimes be bonded back. Pink or red in the centre of the break means the nerve is exposed and it needs to be seen the same day if possible. See chipped and broken teeth.
Urgent dental care
Emergency Dentist in Dubai
Severe pain, a broken or knocked-out tooth, swelling or a lost crown. Call or WhatsApp with what happened, and we will tell you how soon we can see you and what to do meanwhile.
- Open daily 10:00–20:00
- Call or WhatsApp first
- First-aid advice while you wait
Facial swelling with difficulty breathing or swallowing? Go to a hospital emergency department now.
Quick answer
What should I do in a dental emergency in Dubai?
During opening hours (10:00–20:00, every day), call Creative Arts on +971 4 342 4444 or WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537 and describe what happened; we will tell you how soon we can see you and what to do meanwhile. For a knocked-out adult tooth, act within the hour. If swelling affects your breathing or swallowing, go straight to a hospital emergency department.
Go to a hospital emergency department, not a dental clinic, if you have:
Facial or neck swelling with difficulty breathing, swallowing or opening your mouth; swelling spreading towards the eye or down the neck with fever; a head injury, loss of consciousness or a suspected broken jaw after an accident; or bleeding that will not stop despite 20 minutes of firm pressure. These need hospital care first; the dental treatment follows.
Is it an emergency?
What counts as a dental emergency?
Anything with severe pain, swelling, trauma or bleeding should be seen promptly. Some problems are uncomfortable but can safely wait a day or two for a normal appointment.
Contact us today
- A permanent tooth knocked out: every minute counts
- A tooth pushed out of position or loosened by a blow
- Severe or throbbing toothache, especially pain that keeps you awake
- Swelling of the gum or face, or a pimple-like bump on the gum (possible abscess)
- A broken tooth with pain, or with pink or red showing in the centre
- Bleeding after an extraction that restarts and does not slow with pressure
Usually fine to book the next available routine slot
- A small chip with no pain or sharp edge
- A lost filling or crown with no pain
- Mild sensitivity to cold that settles quickly
- A loose orthodontic wire you can cover with wax
- A slightly loose baby tooth that is due to fall out
First aid
Knocked-out adult tooth: what to do in the first hour
A knocked-out permanent tooth is most likely to survive if it is back in its socket quickly, ideally within minutes and preferably within the hour. Do not put a knocked-out baby tooth back in; bring the child to be checked instead.
Pick it up by the crown
Hold the white biting part only. Do not touch the root: the cells on it are needed for the tooth to reattach.
ImmediatelyRinse briefly if dirty
A few seconds under cold running water or in milk. Do not scrub it, dry it or wrap it in tissue.
SecondsPut it back if you can
Push it gently into the socket the right way round, then bite softly on a clean cloth to hold it in place.
Best optionIf not, keep it wet
Store it in milk, or in the person's own saliva (inside the cheek, only for an adult who will not swallow it). Never in plain tap water, and never dry.
AlternativeGet dental care within the hour
Call or WhatsApp us straight away. If we cannot see you quickly enough, go to the nearest dentist or emergency department that can: time matters more than where.
Within 60 min
Quick reference
Symptom, what to do now, and the treatment you are likely to need
This is general first-aid guidance. The actual treatment depends on the examination and an X-ray.
| Symptom | What to do now | Likely treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Knocked-out adult tooth | Handle by the crown, rinse briefly, reinsert or keep in milk; seek care within the hour | Repositioning and splinting to neighbouring teeth; root canal treatment is often needed later |
| Broken or chipped tooth | Rinse with warm water, keep any pieces in milk or water, cold compress for swelling; cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or dental wax | Bonding or a filling for small breaks; a crown or root canal if the break is large or reaches the nerve |
| Severe toothache | Rinse, floss gently to remove trapped food, take over-the-counter pain relief as directed; never place aspirin on the gum | Depends on the cause: filling, root canal treatment or, if the tooth cannot be saved, extraction |
| Gum or face swelling | Cold compress on the outside of the face; don't apply heat. Hospital emergency department if breathing, swallowing or eye area affected | Draining the infection and treating the cause: root canal or extraction; antibiotics only when the infection is spreading |
| Lost filling | Keep the area clean; temporary filling material from a pharmacy can cover it | A new filling, or a larger restoration if the tooth has broken |
| Crown came off | Keep the crown; don't glue it with household adhesive. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can hold it for a day or two | Re-cementing if the crown and tooth are sound; a new crown if not |
| Bleeding after extraction | Bite firmly on folded gauze or a damp tea bag for 20–30 minutes; sit upright; don't rinse or spit | Checking the socket and placing a dressing or stitches if needed |
| Tooth loosened or pushed by a blow | Don't wiggle it; bite gently to keep it in position; soft food | Repositioning and a splint, then monitoring of the nerve |
Follow the dosing on the pain relief packet and check with a pharmacist if you take other medicines. Antibiotics do not cure toothache on their own; the source of infection has to be treated.
Other urgent problems
Broken tooth, lost crown or bleeding: first aid for each
Most dental emergencies are not life-threatening, but what you do in the first hours affects how easy the repair is.
Lost filling or crown
Not usually painful, but the exposed tooth is weaker and can break or decay. Keep the crown, chew on the other side, and avoid very hot, cold or sticky food.
Swelling
Usually a sign of infection. A cold compress helps; heat can draw the infection outwards. Swelling that spreads or affects breathing or swallowing is a hospital emergency.
Bleeding after extraction
Slight oozing for a day is normal. Firm, continuous pressure on gauze for 20–30 minutes stops most bleeding. If it does not, contact us; if heavy and uncontrolled, go to an emergency department. See extraction aftercare.
When you contact us
How to reach us, and what happens when you arrive
The clinic is open every day from 10:00 to 20:00 at 614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1. We do not offer a 24-hour service. Call +971 4 342 4444 or WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537 and tell us:
- What happened and when
- Where the pain or swelling is, and whether it is getting worse
- For an injury: whether a tooth was knocked out, and how you are storing it
- A photo, if you can send one on WhatsApp
We will tell you how soon we can see you. On arrival, the dentist examines the tooth, takes an X-ray if needed and explains the options. The aim of the first visit is to stop the pain and stabilise the tooth; any larger treatment is written into a plan with the cost before it goes ahead.
Outside our hours, or if we cannot see you soon enough for a knocked-out tooth, go to the nearest available dental service or a hospital emergency department.
Find your problem
What is happening to your tooth?
Each page explains the likely cause, what you can do now and how it is treated.
Toothache
Constant, throbbing or night pain, and which painkillers are safe.
Swelling or abscess
Signs of infection and when swelling means hospital.
Pain when biting
A cracked tooth often hurts on biting or release.
Chipped or broken tooth
What to keep, what to avoid and how it is repaired.
Lost filling
Why fillings fall out and how they are replaced.
Loose or lost crown
Keep the crown; it can often be re-cemented.
Who treats you
Dentists who see urgent cases
Urgent appointments are usually seen by our general and restorative dentists, who also carry out root canal treatment when an infected nerve is the cause of the pain.
Patient questions
Frequently asked questions
Are you open 24 hours?
No. Creative Arts is open every day from 10:00 to 20:00. During those hours, call or WhatsApp and we will tell you how soon we can see you. Outside those hours, or for swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, go to a hospital emergency department.
Can I be seen the same day?
Often, but we cannot promise it; it depends on the day's schedule and how urgent your problem is. Call or WhatsApp as early as you can, describe what happened and send a photo if possible. We will tell you honestly how soon we can see you, and what to do meanwhile.
When should I go to hospital instead of a dentist?
Go to a hospital emergency department for facial or neck swelling with difficulty breathing, swallowing or opening your mouth, swelling spreading towards the eye with fever, a head injury or suspected broken jaw, or bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure. These need medical care before dental treatment.
Can a knocked-out tooth be saved?
Often, if a permanent tooth is put back in its socket, or kept in milk, and seen by a dentist quickly, ideally within the hour. Hold it by the crown, not the root, and don't let it dry out. Even when it reattaches, it usually needs splinting and often root canal treatment later. Baby teeth should not be put back.
Will antibiotics fix my toothache?
Usually not on their own. Most toothache comes from decay or an inflamed or infected nerve inside the tooth, which antibiotics cannot reach well. They are prescribed when infection is spreading or you have a fever, alongside treatment of the cause, such as root canal treatment or extraction.
What pain relief can I take for toothache?
Over-the-counter pain relief taken as directed on the packet is usually suitable for most adults; check with a pharmacist if you are pregnant, have medical conditions or take other medicines. Never place a tablet against the gum, as it can burn the tissue. Pain relief buys time; the cause still needs treatment.
My crown fell off. Is that an emergency?
Usually not, unless it hurts or has broken. Keep the crown, keep the tooth clean and avoid chewing on it. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can hold it for a day or two; never use household glue. Book a prompt appointment so we can check whether it can be re-cemented.
Keep exploring
Related treatments
ConditionToothacheThe common causes of tooth pain and which need prompt treatment.ConditionTooth abscessSigns of a dental infection and how it is treated.ConditionChipped or broken toothRepair options for small chips through to large breaks.Root canalRoot canal treatmentSaving a tooth when the nerve is infected or inflamed.General dentistryGeneral dentist in DubaiCheck-ups and prevention to catch problems before they become urgent.
Book a consultation
Request a consultation
Tell us what you would like to change. The clinic replies within working hours with an appointment time.
- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
Book Your Consultation
Or call us +971 4 342 4444Or message us on WhatsApp
Talk to a dentist about your case
A consultation ends with a diagnosis and a written, itemised plan — not a sales pitch. Book online, message us on WhatsApp, or call the clinic.