An unexpected dental issue can happen anytime without warning and cause severe discomfort or pain. Having a well-stocked dental emergency kit on hand helps provide prompt self-care while you arrange a dental appointment. This guide covers the key items to include, common emergency dental problems, symptoms to watch out for, and appropriate ways to manage the issues before your dentist visit.
Content of the kit
According to a dentist in Junction, Toronto, the essential supplies to prepare to cover common dental mishaps like chipped teeth, lost fillings, or bleeding after an extraction. Here are the basics:
Dental repair kit:
As a top emergency dentistry in Toronto explains, this includes dental wax, temporary filling mix, and applicators for quick fixes to broken, cracked, or chipped teeth. The wax fills in gaping spaces, while the filling material helps when a filling falls out.
Temporary dental cement:
This special glue-like gel helps reattach broken crowns or loose bridges till you get to the dentist.
Sterile gauze pads:
When pressure doesn’t control bleeding post a tooth extraction or injury, use gauze to stem excessive flow.
Clove oil:
A natural pain reliever for temporary relief from severe toothaches due to infection or mouth ulcers. It can also numb sore gums. Apply with a cotton swab.
Orajel or Anbesol (benzocaine):
These topical anesthetic gels reduce pain from oral wounds or irritation.
A cold compress or ice pack:
Minimize pain, control swelling, and prevent extra bleeding by applying cold temperature to the outside of the injured area.
Common Emergency Dental Scenarios
Lost Filling:
An old filling might come loose while flossing or eating. Rinse out remnants with a saltwater solution and use a temporary filler from the kit to plug the hole. Avoid eating on that side and limit sugar/acidic foods till the dentist fixes it.
Knocked Out Permanent Tooth:
A high-impact hit to the mouth can make adult teeth pop out of their socket. Quickly rinse the tooth without scrubbing off any tissue tags and reinsert if possible. Use gauze to control any bleeding before seeing the dentist promptly to determine tooth survival chances. The faster it replanted, the better.
Bitten Tongue/Cheeks:
Catching your inner cheek/tongue region between teeth by accident can cause alarming bleeding and severe swelling besides cuts or bruises. Gently press gauze over the wound for 10 minutes and apply benzocaine anesthetic to numb localized pain. Avoid hot food/drinks, rinse with salt water, and take OTC pain medication as needed.
Abscess Signs:
An infection of the tooth’s inner pulp or gum tissues can prompt irritation, swelling, severe discomfort, and pus buildup. Clear signs include inflamed gums and sensitive teeth with pulsating pain that intensifies while reclining or from hot/cold sensitivity. Utilize clove oil and cold compresses for interim relief before seeking urgent care for a root canal or tooth removal if the infection drains outward. Though difficult, getting dental care quickly for this can prevent more serious spreading issues. Staying on top of oral health routines and regular dental visits can help reduce the chances of such problematic bacterial infections occurring.
Major Toothaches:
Toothaches can arise suddenly and cause intense, persistent pain that radiates to adjoining areas. More than simple decay, trauma, gum inflammation, or tooth infections can prompt this distress. The afflicted tooth may become extremely sensitive and swollen. While awaiting urgent dental care, temporarily mitigate piercing discomfort and puffiness with the methods described above. Identifying and treating the underlying dental issue, whether it be an injury, infection, or other disorder, proves key to resolving such oral torment.
