Holiday Dental Emergencies - Advice from Absolute Dental

The holiday season is well and truly upon us, and many of us are planning our holidays, or having visitors to stay over the next few weeks. Lets hope the sun stays for a little while longer!

When we think about our summer holidays we plan everything down to the last detail with clothing, sun cream, books and medicines. But have you ever wondered what to do in case of a dental emergency for you or one of your visitors?

Here is some practical advice from the team at Absolute Dental:

Any dental emergency like an injury to the teeth or gums can be potentially serious and should not be ignored. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment later on.

• Toothache. First, thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water. Use dental floss to gently remove any lodged food that could be causing the problem. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or cheek. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. Normal analgesics (as used for a headache) and be taken as required. Contact a dentist as soon as possible.
• Chipped or broken teeth. Rinse your mouth gently with warm water to remove any tooth fragments. If there's bleeding, apply a clean handkerchief 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. Normal analgesics (as used for a headache) and be taken as required. Contact a dentist as soon as possible.
• Knocked-out tooth. Retrieve the tooth, hold it by the crown (the part that is usually exposed in the mouth), and rinse off the tooth root with water if it's dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, try to put the tooth back in place. Make sure it's facing the right way. Never force it into the socket. If it's not possible to reinsert the tooth in the socket, put the tooth in a small container of milk (or cup of water that contains a pinch of table salt, if milk is not available). In all cases, see a dentist as quickly as possible. Knocked out teeth with the highest chances of being saved are those seen by the dentist and returned to their socket within 1 hour of being knocked out.
• Extruded (partially dislodged) tooth. See a dentist right away. Until you reach a dental practice, to relieve pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area.
• Objects caught between teeth. First, try using dental floss to very gently and carefully remove the object. If you can't get the object out, see your dentist. Never use a pin, tweezers or other sharp object to poke at the stuck object. These instruments can cut your gums or scratch your tooth surface.
• Lost filling. As a temporary measure, stick a piece of sugar free gum into the cavity  or use an over-the-counter temporary dental filling material. See your dentist as soon as possible.
• Lost crown. If the crown falls off, make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible and bring the crown with you. 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!
• 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 see your orthodontist. Never cut the wire yourself!
• Abscess. Abscesses are infections that occur around the root of a tooth or in the space between the teeth and gums. Abscesses are a serious condition that can damage tissue and surrounding teeth, with the infection possibly spreading to other parts of the body if left untreated.
  
  Because of the serious oral health and general health problems that can result from an abscess, see your dentist as soon as possible if you discover a white head like swelling on your gum that usually is painful. In the meantime, to ease the pain and draw the pus toward the surface, try rinsing your mouth with a hot salt water mouth wash (1-2 teaspoon of table salt in a cup of boiled water from the kettle, allow this to cool to avoid burning) several times a day.
• Soft-tissue injuries. Injuries to the soft tissues, which include the tongue, cheeks, gums, and lips, can result in bleeding. To control the bleeding, follow these tips:
  1. Rinse your mouth with a hot salt water mouth was (see above).
  2. Use a moistened piece of gauze apply pressure to the bleeding site. Hold in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. To both control bleeding and relieve pain, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.
  4. If the bleeding doesn't stop, see your dentist right away or go to a hospital emergency department. Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be seen and treated.

We hope this practical advice can just be kept for reference, but you never know when it might come in handy.

For more advice on management of dental injuries in children, please ask for one of our reference sheets when you are next in the practice.

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