Problems after dental treatment abroad: what to do when you are home

After extractions, implant surgery or other oral surgery, some discomfort, swelling and bruising are common in the first days. Swelling often increases for a day or two and then slowly goes down. A small amount of bleeding or pink saliva can also be normal at first. New crowns, bridges or dentures may feel strange, and the bite may need a small adjustment.

Your aftercare instructions from the clinic are the best guide to what to expect after your specific treatment. Keep them to hand, and follow them carefully on cleaning, food, medication and smoking. If something is getting worse instead of better, contact the clinic or a dentist.

Some symptoms should not wait for a reply from the clinic. Call 999 or go to an emergency department (in Ireland, call 112 or 999) if you:

• find it hard to breathe, speak or swallow;
• have a lot of swelling in your mouth, or swelling that is spreading to your eye or neck;
• have a swollen or painful eye, or problems with your eyesight;
• find it hard to open your mouth;
• have heavy bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure, or you feel faint or very unwell.

Other problems are not emergencies but should be checked soon, usually within a day or two. These include pain or swelling that gets worse after the first few days, a high temperature, a bad taste or pus, a loose implant or restoration, a broken temporary tooth that makes eating difficult, and numbness of the lip, chin or tongue that does not go away as expected after the anaesthetic has worn off. Numbness that continues should always be reported, because early assessment matters.

In the UK, if you cannot see a dentist, NHS 111 (online or by phone) can direct you to urgent dental care. In Ireland, contact a local dentist, or your GP or an out-of-hours service for advice. Arrangements and charges vary, so check what applies where you live.

For anything that is not an emergency, contact the clinic that treated you as soon as you can. They know what was done and can often advise quickly, arrange a video call, or tell you whether you need to be seen. Write to them so that there is a record, and keep copies of all messages.

• Describe the problem, when it started and whether it is getting better or worse.
• Send clear photos, taken in good light, and mention any temperature, bleeding or numbness.
• Have your treatment plan, notes, X-rays and implant details ready.
• Ask what they advise, how quickly they can respond and whether a return visit would be covered by their guarantee.

If you need to be seen before you can return to the clinic, a local dentist can examine you and provide urgent treatment. Bring your treatment records, X-rays and implant details, because they help the dentist understand what was done. A dentist at home may charge for this care, and some may be cautious about taking over treatment done elsewhere. It helps to ask a local practice before you travel whether they would see you afterwards.

The NHS is not responsible for the outcome of treatment you arranged privately abroad, although urgent care is available when you need it. Let the treating clinic know what was done locally, and keep receipts, as they may be relevant to a guarantee or a complaint.

Good records make every next step easier. Keep your written treatment plan, consent forms, invoices, X-rays, implant details and the clinic's written guarantee together. Read the guarantee conditions carefully: many depend on regular check-ups or on following aftercare instructions, and may or may not cover travel for return visits.

If a problem develops, keep a simple diary with dates, symptoms, photos and every contact with the clinic and with other dentists. This is useful whether the problem is resolved by the clinic or not.

Most problems are best resolved directly with the clinic. If that does not work, start with a written complaint to the clinic, describing the problem and what you are asking for, and keep a copy. If the matter is still not resolved, there are other routes in Romania.

• Professional conduct: dentists in Romania are regulated by the College of Dentists of Romania (Colegiul Medicilor Stomatologi din România, CMSR), which can examine complaints about a dentist's professional conduct and ethics. Questions of medical negligence follow separate legal routes.
• Consumer issues, such as services not provided as agreed or problems with payments: the National Authority for Consumer Protection (Autoritatea Națională pentru Protecția Consumatorilor, ANPC) accepts complaints, including online.
• Help from your own country: if you live in the EU, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centres network (ECC-Net) gives free advice on cross-border disputes with traders. In Ireland, this is ECC Ireland. If you live in the UK, check which consumer advice services can help you.
• For legal claims, independent legal advice is the most reliable guide to your options and time limits.