A tooth cracks on a Tuesday evening, a crown comes loose over dinner, a cheek swells out of nowhere. The first question that comes to mind isn't "where do I go?" but "can this wait?". Get that call wrong and you either lose a night's sleep for nothing, or let a problem that was easy to treat turn into a serious infection. Here are clear answers to the questions our patients ask us most — so that in a few minutes you know whether to come in now, this week, or simply at your next check-up.
🚨 First: the signs that mean you should get help immediately
Some symptoms are no longer a matter for the dental practice, but for hospital emergency services. Go to A&E or call 112 straight away if you have:
- difficulty breathing or swallowing, or a change in your voice;
- swelling that is spreading towards the eye, under the jaw or into the neck;
- a high fever together with facial swelling;
- an inability to open your mouth;
- a significant facial injury (blow, fall, accident).
These situations are rare, but a spreading dental infection can become serious within hours. If in doubt, don't sit at home hoping it will pass.
🔍 Is it really an emergency? A symptom-by-symptom guide
🌡️ How do I know if my toothache is an emergency?
The key isn't just how much it hurts, but how the pain behaves. Get seen quickly if it comes on spontaneously (without eating or drinking), if it wakes you at night, if it doesn't respond to your usual painkillers, or if it comes with swelling or fever. These are signs that the nerve is affected or that an infection has set in.
On the other hand, a brief twinge of sensitivity to cold or sweet foods that fades immediately is usually not an emergency — though it does deserve an appointment in the coming weeks, as it often signals a cavity or receding gums.
🦷 I've broken or cracked a tooth: should I come in urgently?
It depends on what's exposed. If the fracture is superficial (a small chip of enamel, no pain), it isn't an emergency — but book within a few days so the crack doesn't spread.
Do come in urgently, however, if the tooth is very painful, if you can see a red or pink spot in the middle of the break (the nerve is exposed), or if the sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek. Keep the broken piece in a little milk or saline solution and bring it with you — it can sometimes be bonded back on.
👑 My crown, bridge or filling has fallen out: is that urgent?
It's almost never a critical emergency, but don't let it drift. The tooth underneath is now weakened and sensitive; it can fracture or decay quickly, and neighbouring teeth may shift, making it impossible to refit the original piece.
What to do: keep the crown (rinse it with water and store it in a small box), avoid chewing on that side, and call us for a prompt appointment. Never try to glue it back yourself with shop-bought adhesive — that's the surest way to make the tooth unsalvageable.
🔴 I have an abscess and a swollen cheek: is that dangerous?
Yes — a dental abscess is a genuine emergency. It's an infection, and infections don't clear up on their own, even if the pain temporarily eases (which happens when an abscess bursts). The pus keeps spreading through the tissue.
Come in the same day. In the meantime, don't apply anything warm to your cheek (heat speeds the spread of infection) — use cold on the outside instead, and read the section on painkillers below, because not all of them are advisable here.
😬 My wisdom tooth is painful: should I wait it out?
An erupting wisdom tooth can inflame the gum around it (known as pericoronitis): pain, red and swollen gum, sometimes a bad taste in the mouth. Don't ignore it, as it frequently develops into an infection.
Get seen quickly — and urgently if you have a fever, if the swelling is spreading, or if you can no longer open your mouth properly.
🩹 I've been in pain since recent treatment: is that normal?
Sensitivity lasting a few days after treatment (a filling, an extraction, a root canal) is common and normal: the tissues have been disturbed and settle down gradually.
What is not normal: pain that increases rather than eases, new swelling or fever, or bleeding that won't stop after an extraction. In those cases, call the practice that treated you back — that's exactly what we're here for.
🔧 My orthodontic wire is poking me, or a bracket has come off
Uncomfortable, but rarely urgent. If a wire is sticking out and cutting your cheek, cover it with a little orthodontic wax (available at any pharmacy) and book an appointment soon. Don't cut the wire yourself. That said, if it stops you eating or the sore spot becomes infected, come in without waiting.
💶 What does it cost, and who pays?
🏷️ Does an emergency appointment cost more?
No. At Dentalplus, an emergency is billed at the standard agreed rate, exactly like a routine appointment — there's no "emergency surcharge". What you pay depends solely on the treatment actually carried out: a consultation with an X-ray is a very different matter from an extraction or a root canal.
Our team will always tell you what's planned, and what it means for you, before starting any treatment.
🏥 Is emergency treatment covered by the CNS?
Yes. Emergency care (consultation, X-ray, treating an infection, extraction) falls under the agreed tariff and is covered at 88% by the CNS (Luxembourg's national health fund) — and at 100% for children. In practical terms, on a consultation at the agreed rate of €30, you're left with roughly €3.60 to pay.
Better still: at Dentalplus you don't pay the CNS-covered portion up front. You won't be asked for a large sum at the very moment you're in pain.
One caveat: some treatments are not covered by the CNS (implants, adult orthodontics, whitening). If your emergency leads to that kind of treatment, private health insurance can step in — remember to send them your invoices.
🌍 I'm a cross-border worker or an expat: am I covered?
This is the question we hear most, and the answer is reassuring: if you work in Luxembourg, you are affiliated to the CNS — whether you live here or commute from France, Belgium or Germany. You are covered exactly like a resident, and so are your dependants (spouse, children). There is no need to travel home for treatment, which would in any case be a very poor idea with an abscess.
Just bring your Luxembourg social security card and a form of ID.
✈️ I'm just visiting Luxembourg: what should I do?
If you're an EU citizen, bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC): it gives you access to the care you need during your stay. From outside the EU, or without an EHIC, you'll be billed directly — keep the invoice safe so you can claim it back from your insurer when you get home.
Either way, a dental emergency should be treated where you are. Don't put it off until you're back.
🧩 Special cases
💊 Can I take painkillers in the meantime? Which should I avoid?
This matters, and it's often misunderstood.
- Paracetamol is the first-choice painkiller: stick to the dose on the packet.
- Be careful with anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen) if you have swelling or an abscess: they can mask the signs of infection and help it progress. Don't take them on your own initiative in that situation — ask your pharmacist or your dentist.
- Avoid aspirin, which thins the blood and increases bleeding — particularly if an extraction is on the cards.
- Never place a tablet directly on the gum or the tooth: it causes a chemical burn of the soft tissue on top of the original problem.
- Don't restart leftover antibiotics from a previous course: the wrong drug at the wrong dose muddies the diagnosis without clearing the infection.
🤰 I'm pregnant: can I be treated in an emergency?
Yes — and you shouldn't put it off. An untreated dental infection carries more risk for you and your baby than the treatment itself. Emergency care, local anaesthetic and, where needed, a targeted X-ray with shielding are all possible during pregnancy.
Simply tell us you're pregnant and how far along when you book: that lets us adapt the products we use and choose the best timing for any treatment that can wait. For pain, paracetamol remains the reference — anti-inflammatories should be avoided, especially from the sixth month onwards.
🧒 My child has broken or knocked out a tooth: what should I do in the first hour?
What you do depends on the type of tooth, and every minute counts:
- Knocked-out adult tooth: never touch the root (hold the tooth by the crown, the white part). If it's dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline — without scrubbing. Put it back in its socket if you can; otherwise keep it in milk (or, failing that, in the child's own saliva). Get to us within 30 to 60 minutes: that window determines whether the tooth can be saved.
- Knocked-out baby tooth: do not put it back in — you risk damaging the developing adult tooth sitting just above it. Do still come in, so we can check no fragment is left behind and that the adult tooth is unharmed.
- Broken tooth: retrieve the fragment, keep it in milk, and come in quickly.
Above all, stay calm: children take their cue from the adults around them.
📞 How do I get seen quickly at Dentalplus?
Our practice is open 7 days a week in Bonnevoie, in the heart of Luxembourg City. For an emergency:
- Call us on (+352) 27 52 18 25 — this is by far the fastest route. Describe your symptoms, we'll assess the urgency with you and offer you the first available slot.
- Or book online, at any hour.
- Weekends? We see emergencies on Saturdays and Sundays too.
On the day, please bring your social security card (or your EHIC), photo ID, a list of any medication you're taking and — where relevant — the tooth fragment or crown you've kept.
✅ Key takeaways
- Pain that comes on spontaneously, wakes you at night or resists painkillers: get seen without delay.
- Swelling, fever, an abscess: that's an infection, and it won't clear on its own. Come in the same day.
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing, spreading swelling: hospital A&E or 112.
- Knocked-out adult tooth: keep it in milk and get to us within the hour.
- Lost crown or filling: not critical, but don't let it drift — and don't glue it back yourself.
- Cross-border worker or expat? If you work in Luxembourg, the CNS covers you like a resident.
- Pregnant? A dental emergency can and should be treated. The infection is the real risk.
🚑 An emergency right now? Don't stay in pain
Dental pain never improves by being ignored. The sooner an emergency is dealt with, the simpler, shorter and more comfortable the treatment — and the better the odds of keeping the tooth.
See our Dental Emergencies page and book an appointment →
Or simply call us: (+352) 27 52 18 25 — open 7 days a week in Bonnevoie.
Written by the Dentalplus Luxembourg team · 3 Rue de Houffalize, 1737 Bonnevoie
Contact: contact@dentalplus.lu · (+352) 27 52 18 25
This article is for information only and does not replace a consultation. If you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading to the neck or eye, or a high fever, contact the emergency services immediately (112).