Tooth decay · Inflammation of the tooth nerve (pulpitis) · Gum inflammation · Cracked tooth · Exposed tooth roots · Problems with an old filling or crown
What helps now
Ibuprofen 400 mg (max. 3 times daily, taken with food)
Apply cold from outside (ice pack wrapped in cloth, 20 min on/off)
Clove oil on cotton at the painful tooth (provides short-term numbing)
Rinse with lukewarm sage tea (anti-inflammatory)
Keep your head elevated when sleeping
Please avoid
Aspirin — increases bleeding risk
Applying heat to the painful area
Very hot, cold or sweet foods
Chewing on the painful side
Probing the area with sharp objects
Severe, throbbing pain that does not respond to painkillers · Swelling in the face or neck · Fever above 38.5 °C · Pulsating pain that keeps getting worse · Pain when opening your mouth
A lost filling or crown is usually not an emergency — but you should see us within a few days to protect the tooth.
The exposed tooth is now more sensitive to temperature, pressure and bacteria.
What helps now
Keep the area clean (gently rinse after eating)
Keep the crown and bring it to your appointment
Use sugar-free chewing gum as a temporary cover
Chew soft food on the other side
Pharmacy: temporary dental cement (e.g. Dentemp)
Please avoid
Chewing on the exposed area
Very hot, cold or sweet foods
Gluing the crown back yourself
Waiting weeks — decay can progress quickly
A completely knocked-out permanent tooth can often be re-implanted — but only if you act quickly. Ideally within 30 minutes.
Only touch the tooth by the crown (not the root). Place it in cold milk, saliva or a tooth rescue box. Come to us immediately.
A chipped tooth is frustrating, but usually very treatable. We can typically repair it with composite bonding, a veneer or a crown.
Keep the broken piece. Sometimes it can be bonded back on.
Do this now
Keep the fragment or tooth moist (milk, saliva)
Stop bleeding with a clean cloth (bite down gently)
Apply cold from outside
Come to us as soon as possible
Do not
Let the tooth dry out
Touch or scrub the root
Place the tooth in water (destroys the cells)
Wait — time is critical
Bleeding gums are almost always a sign of gum inflammation (gingivitis). The most common cause is bacteria in dental plaque irritating the gum tissue.
The key point: Do not stop brushing. Avoiding the bleeding area will only make the problem worse.
What helps
Keep brushing — but use a soft toothbrush with gentle pressure
Use interdental brushes or floss daily
Chlorhexidine mouthwash short-term (e.g. Corsodyl, max. 2 weeks)
Book a professional cleaning appointment
Please avoid
Skipping the bleeding area when brushing
Using a hard toothbrush
Smoking (masks the inflammation)
Ignoring it for weeks
If your gums are still bleeding despite good oral hygiene after 2 weeks, you should make an appointment with us. It could be periodontitis — a serious condition that needs treatment.
Learn more: Periodontal treatment
Exposed tooth roots are the most common cause. The gums have receded and the sensitive dentin is exposed. Every temperature change reaches the nerve directly.
Other causes: Teeth grinding · Acidic diet · Brushing too hard · After whitening · After professional cleaning (temporary)
What helps sofort
Toothpaste for sensitive teeth (e.g. Sensodyne)
Soft toothbrush, gentle pressure
Fluoride gel once a week
Avoid extreme temperatures when eating or drinking
What makes it worse
Hard toothbrush and heavy pressure
Acidic drinks (cola, orange juice, wine)
Brushing right after eating (wait 30 minutes)
Whitening toothpaste
Swelling is usually caused by a bacterial infection — an abscess. The infection needs professional treatment. Left untreated, it can spread.
What helps now
Apply cold from outside (ice pack wrapped in cloth, 20 min on/off)
Ibuprofen for pain and inflammation
Rinse with lukewarm sage tea
Come to us as soon as possible
Never do this
Apply heat to the swelling (makes it worse)
Try to puncture or squeeze the abscess yourself
Aspirin (increases bleeding during treatment)
Wait and hope it goes away on its own
Swelling spreads to the eye, throat or chest
Difficulty swallowing or breathing
Fever above 39 °C
Severely limited mouth opening (lockjaw)
Dental emergency?
For severe pain, swelling or dental injury — call us.
We will help you quickly, even at short notice.