Dental Emergencies

When dealing with dental emergencies, it is always best to be prepared before the situation even (if ever,) arises. That way, should the worse happen, you will have the information you need in your head ready to be applied. But the most important thing is to be prepared if you can. Assembling a dental first aid kit (see our dental problem- dental emergency page for more details) is a good idea, although it's probable that it may not be handy during a dental emergency away from home. Do, before you travel, find out where the nearest dentist and doctor are located wherever you are staying, as with most dental emergencies, time is of the essence when it comes to fixing things like knocked out teeth. Toothaches can strike at any time, and pain killers may not be immediately available. If you have toothache, it is important to check the teeth for any stuck debris that may be causing it, as removal of anything stuck will relieve pressure and pain. If there is no obvious cause such as debris stuck in the teeth or gum damage, you should try gently cleaning the mouth with toothpaste or gargling with salt water to minimize bacteria that could be causing decay and making a tooth the source of the problem. If the cheek or mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to bring down the swelling. Go to the dentist as soon as you are able to get it properly checked out, even if any of these procedures work, as the toothache is usually a sign of tooth decay or infection.

A knocked out tooth or teeth, should be picked up by the crown (the enamel part of the tooth) and kept in a small amount of lukewarm water and taken to a dentist as soon as possible, as the sooner it is put back in, the greater its chances of it being successfully replanted. If it is dirty, rinse it but do not scrub at it in case you damage the root. The root is very important for re-implantation. If the tooth is knocked out completely or still attached by the root, with no dentist is available, (say stuck camping in the wilderness) it is worth trying to gently put it back in the gap and apply gentle pressure until it takes, and getting yourself as quickly as possible to an emergency dentist, no matter how long it takes. You can use dentistscompare.com to find one within your immediate area by typing in your current post code.

If you lose a fillings, then the best possible step would be to plug the hole/cavity with dental cement if you are lucky enough to have some to hand or if with, you can use sugar-free gum as a temporary fix until you can visit a dentist. Obviously, you should try not to eat anything until you've seen a dentist as food debris may get stuck inside and complicate matters.

If you lose a crown then you need to call your dentist right away so they can prepare for your arrival. The crown can be reattached temporarily using denture adhesive, however if the tooth underneath is damaged and was being held together by the crown, it is best not to mess around with it in case of damaging the tooth further.

If you damage your cheeks, tongue, gums, lips, or any soft tissue and involves bleeding, try to staunch the bleeding with gentle pressure and moistened sterilized gauze, which is commonly found sealed in first aid kits. If the injury is not bleeding very much or not at all, gargling with a salt water solution will limit infection although it will hurt. Don't do this if you've lost a tooth though as this may damage any exposed root and reduce your chances of successfully re-implanting a tooth.

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