Your Trusted Emergency Dentist

What you can do at home before you see us.

DENTAL FIRST AID For

EMERGENCIES

We know dental emergencies can be scary and painful.

Below, you will find some temporary solutions you can try at home before you get to us.

01.

Toothaches

First, thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water. Use dental floss to remove any lodged food. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or cheek. Take a pain reliever such as aspirin, Tylenol, or ibuprofen following the manufacturer’s dosage amount after checking with your physician. You can also try an over-the-counter topical anesthetic with 5% to 20% benzocaine applied every two hours. This is important as part of your dental first aid routine.

02.

Lost Filling

As a temporary dental first-aid measure, stick a piece of sugarless gum into the cavity (sugar-filled gum will cause pain) or use an over-the-counter dental cement. Call our office as soon as possible.

03.

Extruded (Partially Dislodged) Tooth

Call our office right away. Until you reach our office, to relieve pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever (such as Tylenol or Advil) if needed. These steps are crucial in your dental first aid approach.

04.

Chipped Or Broken Teeth

Save any pieces. Rinse the mouth using warm water; rinse any broken pieces. If there’s bleeding, apply a piece of gauze or a moistened tea bag to the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth, cheek, or lip near the broken/chipped tooth to keep any swelling down and relieve pain. Call our office as soon as possible.

05.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Retrieve the tooth and hold it by the crown. Rinse the root gently with water if needed, but do not scrub or remove any tissue.
Reinsert the tooth into its socket if possible, ensuring it’s facing the right way. Avoid forcing it.
If reinsertion isn’t possible, place the tooth in milk or a cup of water with a pinch of salt.
Contact our office immediately. Teeth have the best chance of being saved if treated within 1 hour of being knocked out.

06.

Abscess

Abscesses are serious dental infections that occur around the root of a tooth or between the teeth and gums. These infections can damage tissue and surrounding teeth, potentially spreading to other parts of the body if untreated. For effective dental first aid, contact us immediately if you notice a painful, pimple-like swelling on your gum. In the meantime, rinse your mouth with a mild saltwater solution (1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water) several times a day to ease pain and draw the pus towards the surface.

07.

Soft-Tissue Injuries

Soft-tissue injuries to the tongue, cheeks, gums, or lips can cause significant bleeding. For dental first aid to manage these injuries:

Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution.
Apply a moistened gauze or tea bag to the bleeding site and hold it in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
Use a cold compress on the outside of your mouth or cheek for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce pain and swelling.
If bleeding persists, seek emergency medical care. Continue applying pressure with gauze until you receive professional treatment.

08.

Broken Braces And Wires

If a wire breaks or sticks out of a bracket or band and is poking your cheek, tongue, or gum, try using the eraser end of a pencil to push the wire into a more comfortable position. If you can’t reposition the wire, cover the end with orthodontic wax, a small cotton ball, or piece of gauze until you can get to our office. Never cut the wire, as you could end up swallowing it or breathing it into your lungs.

09.

Lost Crown

If the crown falls off and you can’t get to our office right away and the tooth is causing pain, use a cotton swab to apply a little clove oil to the sensitive area (clove oil can be purchased at your local drug store or in the spice aisle of your grocery store). If possible, slip the crown back over the tooth. Before doing so, coat the inner surface with an over-the-counter dental cement, toothpaste, or denture adhesive, to help hold the crown in place. Do not use super glue! This is a critical step in your dental first aid procedures.

10.

Objects Caught Between Teeth

11.

Severe Pain

Severe dental pain can result from debris lodged under the gum line, a lost filling or crown, a cracked or broken tooth, or an infection. Dental first aid involves applying ice to the painful area for 10-20 minutes every hour until you see your dentist. Take acetaminophen as directed on the packaging to alleviate pain. A professional dental examination is essential to diagnose and treat the underlying cause of the severe pain effectively.

12.

Loose Brackets And Bands

Temporarily reattach loose braces with a small piece of orthodontic wax. Alternatively, place the wax over the braces to provide a cushion. Call us as soon as possible. If the problem is a loose band, save it and call us as soon as possible.