Location: 8 Wrekin Dr, Donnington, Telford TF2 8DP, United Kingdom

Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

01952 605 100

01952 605 100

Treating Dental Emergencies at Home

Dental emergencies like any injury to the teeth or gums should not be ignored as it could potentially be serious. By ignoring a dental problem, this can increase the risk of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment in the long run.

Whether you are a registered or unregistered patient at Woodhouse Dental Practice and you suffer a dental emergency or injury at home here is some advice that may help in the short term.

Toothaches

Thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water. Using dental floss, remove any lodged food. For any swelling, 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 and could cause more pain. Book in to see your dentist as soon as possible.

Chipped or Broken Teeth

Save any pieces. Rinse the mouth using warm water; rinse any broken pieces. If there’s bleeding, apply a piece of gauze 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. See your dentist as soon as possible.

Chipped or Broken Teeth

Save any pieces. Rinse the mouth using warm water; rinse any broken pieces. If there’s bleeding, apply a piece of gauze 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. See your 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) or a product containing cell growth medium, such as Save-a-Tooth. In all cases, see your 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

Book to see your dentist as soon as possible. To relieve any pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever if needed.

Extruded (partially dislodged) tooth

Book to see your dentist as soon as possible. To relieve any pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever if needed.

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 or other sharp object to poke at the stuck object. These instruments can cut your gums or scratch your tooth surface.

Lost Filling

Keep the area as clean as possible by using your regular toothpaste. As a temporary measure, an over-the-counter temporary dental filling can be placed over the cavity. These can be purchased at local pharmacies or drugstores. Contact your dentist for an appointment.

Lost Filling

Keep the area as clean as possible by using your regular toothpaste. As a temporary measure, an over-the-counter temporary dental filling can be placed over the cavity. These can be purchased at local pharmacies or drugstores. Contact your dentist for an appointment.

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 you can’t get to the dentist right away and the tooth is causing pain, use a cotton swab to apply a little clove oil to the sensitive area (clove oil can be purchased at your local drug store or in the spice aisle of your grocery store). Do not use super glue to glue to crown back in!

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 pimple-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 mild salt water solution (1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water) several times a day.

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 pimple-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 mild salt water solution (1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water) 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, here’s what to do:

  1. Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution.
  2. Use a moistened piece of gauze or tea bag to 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 room. Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be seen and treated.
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