What to do when things go wrong

A dental emergency such as a mouth injury, a knocked-out tooth, or a dislodged crown can be frightening. It hurts, there’s blood involved, and it usually happens at the worst possible time, such as late at night or when you’re a long way from your dentist. But don’t panic. No matter what happened, there are things you can do to manage the problem, slow any bleeding, and alleviate the pain until you can get professional help.

General Advice for Dental Emergencies

Your teeth are strong, but they can still get damaged. Falls, injuries, impacts and even eating the wrong foods can result in damage to the gums, the roots, or the hard outer shell of your teeth. And when these types of events occur, you need to know what to do. If you have a dental emergency, here is some general advice to follow:

Bleeding

Rinse your mouth with warm water and then press a clean cloth to the site. You can also use a cold compress to slow the bleeding.

Call your dentist

Don’t be afraid to call your dentist for advice in a dental emergency, even if it’s the middle of the night. Your dentist will be able to reassure you, and offer advice and even emergency dental services if it’s an issue that needs to be fixed immediately.

For more specific advice, have a look at the following common causes of dental emergencies.

A Bad Toothache

Toothaches always seem to set in on Sunday night, don’t they? And an emergency dental appointment at that time can be hard to come by, expensive, and disruptive to your schedule. That’s why a lot of people wait until Monday morning to address the problem. If you need to wait for your dental appointment, there are several things you can do to manage the pain until you can have it fixed:

Rinse your mouth with warm but not hot water.
Take two ibuprofen tablets to help alleviate the pain.
If the pain is still there after 3 hours, take 2 Paracetamol tablets.
Repeat until you can see your dentist.

A toothache can be caused by a number of things including cavities and gum infections, which is why you need to see your dentist as soon as possible. You mustn’t just ignore the pain or just keep taking painkillers and hoping it goes away. This could result in more damage to your teeth and gums and long-term pain or discomfort.

Stuck Objects

There’s nothing worse than eating hard food and suddenly feeling it lodge itself between two teeth. Foods like nuts and seeds are particularly prone to this, but it can happen with any kind of hard food. It’s particularly common if you have teeth that are spaced slightly too far apart or if you have a cavity that has opened the space more than usual. If you experience this problem often, then it might be worth talking to your dentist to see if there’s a reason for it.

It’s important that you don’t just ignore the problem because food between your teeth encourages the growth of bacteria and can result in a cavity or gum infection. Here’s what to do if you can’t get something out from between your teeth:

Try to remove the object with your fingers.
Gently floss your teeth, but don’t force it because you could cause damage.
Try using a pair of tweezers to remove the object.
Apply pressure with a cloth to stop any bleeding or pain after the object is gone.

A Cracked Tooth

Cracked teeth are particularly common after falls or during sporting events. If you experience a cracked tooth, it’s important that you visit your dentist as soon as possible. Even a small crack in your tooth can spread over time if it isn’t fixed and result in the loss of the tooth or ongoing dental pain. Your dentist will be able to offer solutions that will strengthen the damaged tooth and give you back your great smile again.

If you can’t get to the dentist straight away for whatever reason, here’s what to do in the meantime:

Rinse your mouth with warm water.
Put a cold pack on your face over the damaged tooth.
Avoid poking or playing with the tooth with your fingers or your tongue.

Dislodged Teeth

Falls and other types of injuries can also result in a tooth or teeth becoming dislodged. This is a very serious dental injury and you need to see your dentist immediately if it occurs. The quicker you get in to see your dentist the more likely it is that they will be able to save your tooth and put it back into place. And if the tooth can’t be saved or if you put off going to the dentist, it will result in ongoing dental problems as well as further treatments.

Here’s what to do with your dislodged tooth:

Pick the tooth up by the crown and don’t touch the roots.
Rinse the tooth quickly in warm water if it’s dirty.
Place the tooth gently into the socket it came from without pushing it down hard.
You can also keep the tooth warm and moist by placing it between the cheek and teeth away from the injury site.
If you can’t replace the tooth, put it in a container of milk.
Get to your dentist as soon as possible!