What to do in a Dental Emergency

Toothache

A toothache can range from mild discomfort to severe pain, and it’s often a sign that something is wrong with your teeth or gums. Common causes include tooth decay, a broken tooth, an abscess, or even food trapped between your teeth.

What to do:

• Rinse your mouth: Start by rinsing your mouth with warm water to clean out any debris
• Floss gently: If food is stuck between your teeth, carefully floss around the area to remove it
• Use a cold compress: Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to reduce swelling and numb the pain. Facial swelling needs urgent treatment.
• Over-the-counter pain relief: You can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen or panadol, but avoid placing aspirin directly on your gums as it can cause irritation.
• See an emergency dentist: If the pain is severe, you must visit your emergency dentist as soon as possible.
• See a dentist: Even if the pain subsides, making an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible is necessary to address the underlying cause.

Knocked-out Tooth

A knocked-out permanent tooth is one of the most urgent dental emergencies; quick action can often save the tooth!

What to Do:

• Handle the tooth carefully: Pick up the tooth by the crown (the top part), not the root. Avoid touching or cleaning the root.
• Rinse the tooth: If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it with milk or saline water. Do not scrub or remove any tissue fragments attached to the tooth.
• Reinsert the tooth if possible: If you can, try to place the tooth back in its socket. Hold it in place with gentle pressure.
• Keep the tooth moist: If reinsertion isn’t possible, place the tooth in a glass of milk or keep it in your mouth between your cheek and gums. The key is to keep the tooth moist.
• See a dentist immediately: Time is critical; try to phone and get to a dentist within 30 minutes.
• See an emergency dentist: If it is after hours, phone straight away to see an emergency dentist.

Chipped or Broken Tooth

A chipped or broken tooth can be alarming, especially if it causes severe pain or leaves sharp edges in your mouth.

What to Do:

• Rinse your mouth: Start by rinsing your mouth with warm water to clean the area.
• Save the pieces: If possible, save any pieces of the tooth that have broken off and take them with you to the dentist.
• Apply gauze: If there’s bleeding, apply gauze to the area for 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops.
• Use dental cement: If the break has left a sharp edge that could cut your mouth, you can cover it with dental cement (available at most pharmacies) as a temporary solution.
• Cold compress: Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling.
• Visit an emergency dentist: If you are experiencing pain or sensitivity, you should see an emergency dentist. In a lot of cases, it is not a dental emergency unless it is accompanied by pain or sensitivity.
• Visit your dentist: Regardless of the severity of the damage, you will need to see your dentist as soon as possible. A chipped or broken tooth will require treatment to prevent further damage.

Filling or Crown

If a filling or crown falls out, it can leave the affected tooth vulnerable to damage or infection.

What to Do:

• Keep the area clean: Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area.
• Apply clove oil: If the tooth is painful, applying clove oil (available at pharmacies) with a cotton swab can help numb the pain as a temporary measure
• Temporary solution: You can use dental cement or a piece of sugarless gum to temporarily cover the cavity.
• Visit your dentist: You’ll need to see your dentist promptly to have the filling or crown replaced.

Dental Abscess

An abscess is a serious infection that occurs around the root of a tooth or in the space between the teeth and gums. It can be very painful and may cause swelling, fever, and even a bad taste in your mouth.

What to Do:

• Rinse with salt water: Rinse your mouth several times a day with warm salt water to help draw out the pus and reduce discomfort.
• Over-the-counter pain relief: You can take pain relievers, but they won’t treat the infection.
• Visit your dentist: If you are able to see your dentist the same day, prompty book in, otherwise call an emergency dentist.
• Visit an emergency dentist: An abscess is a dental emergency that requires prompt treatment, as the infection can spread to other parts of the body. It is important that this be acted upon quickly.