13 Polwarth Gardens,
Edinburgh, EH11 1JS
Tel: 0131 229 1806
How to cope in an emergency
If a tooth is knocked out...
If your temporary crown falls out, there is no need to panic. Apply a small dab of toothpaste to the temporary and reattach it. If the temporary crown will not sit over the tooth securely take it out wrap it to keep it safe. Contact your dentist at your earliest convenience. An appointment will be made to recement the temporary crown free of charge. This appointment takes no more than 15 minutes.
Severe toothache
Rinse your mouth and the area around the tooth, then floss around the tooth to make sure that debris is not causing the pain. Do not put an aspirin on the tooth because it can damage your gum tissue. Call our office for an appointment if the pain persists.
Something caught between teeth
Use dental floss to gently remove the debris, and be sure that you don’t cut your gums with the floss. Do not use a sharp instrument to dislodge the debris. If floss doesn’t help, call our office for an appointment.
The following steps should be taken:
- Carefully find the tooth, handle it by the crown only (not the root) and ensure it is clean. The crown is the smooth white part of the tooth that is normally visible in the mouth.
- If the root is dirty, and the patient is calm and conscious, they can gently suck the tooth clean. Alternatively, rinse the tooth in milk or saline or very briefly, in water.
- Immediately replant the tooth in the socket making sure the tooth is facing the right way around. Time is critical and immediate replacement is best, but should ideally not be delayed beyond 30 minutes.
- Hold the tooth in place. Aluminum foil may be used to help stabilise the tooth, or the patient can bite gently on gauze or a soft cloth.
- If you are unable to replant the tooth, keep it moist by putting it in a cup of milk or saline, sealing it in plastic wrap or placing it in the patient’s mouth next to the cheek, if the patient is able to do so.
- Seek immediate dental treatment - TIME IS CRITICAL.
- Do not hold the tooth by the root surface.
- Do not scrape or rub the root surface.
- Do not let the tooth dry out.
- Do not put the tooth in ice.
- Avoid rinsing or storing the tooth in water
If your temporary crown falls out, there is no need to panic. Apply a small dab of toothpaste to the temporary and reattach it. If the temporary crown will not sit over the tooth securely take it out wrap it to keep it safe. Contact your dentist at your earliest convenience. An appointment will be made to recement the temporary crown free of charge. This appointment takes no more than 15 minutes.
Severe toothache
Rinse your mouth and the area around the tooth, then floss around the tooth to make sure that debris is not causing the pain. Do not put an aspirin on the tooth because it can damage your gum tissue. Call our office for an appointment if the pain persists.
Something caught between teeth
Use dental floss to gently remove the debris, and be sure that you don’t cut your gums with the floss. Do not use a sharp instrument to dislodge the debris. If floss doesn’t help, call our office for an appointment.