Emergency Dental Care

If a tooth is knocked out, seek dental assistance immediately. It’s important to try to locate the knocked-out tooth as quickly as possible and to get both you and the tooth to the dentist! Don’t touch the root of the tooth and try to only hold the tooth by the crown (top part of the tooth). Place the tooth in a small container of milk or saliva to keep the tooth covered and stop it from drying out on the way to your dentist.

Do NOT:

-Soak the tooth in water or scrub it
-Handle the tooth other than getting it into the container
-Wrap the tooth in a tissue or cloth or anything dry
-Re-implant the tooth in the mouth

The faster you can get to your dentist the better the chances of the tooth surviving.

There are lots of potential reasons that a tooth can crack, chip or break.

Regardless of what causes the damage to the tooth, the first step is to visit your dentist. Your dentist will be able to assess the damage and customise a treatment plan that is best for your smile needs.

If you crack, chip or break your tooth, contact your dentist immediately and make sure to let them know that you have a broken tooth.

If you have broken a piece of the tooth off and can locate the broken fragment pick it up and put it into a small container of milk or saliva to keep the tooth fragment covered and stop it from drying out on the way to your dentist.

Do NOT:

-Soak the tooth fragment in water or scrub it
-Handle the tooth fragment other than getting it into the container
-Wrap the tooth fragment in a tissue or cloth or anything dry
-Place it back in the mouth

The faster you can get to your dentist the better the chances of your dentist being able to re-attach the broken piece of tooth (if possible). 

If this is not possible, your dentist will be able to discuss options to build the tooth back up so that you can get back to looking and feeling your best.

Just like any dental trauma, the sooner you can get to your dentist, the better the chances of the tooth surviving.

If you get hit in the face or mouth and find that you have a loose or wobbly tooth, you can gently fold a small piece of tinfoil over the tooth to help keep it in place. If you have a custom-fitted night-guard or sportsguard from your dentist you can gently and carefully place this over the tinfoil “splint” to help keep the tooth in place on the way to your dentist.

The short answer to this question is YES!

The slightly longer answer is Yes because it’s vital to ensure that there is no trauma or damage to any part of the teeth or supporting structures (especially under the gum line).

Just because you can’t see any damage doesn’t mean that there isn’t any damage to the teeth.
Trauma to the mouth can cause cracks in the teeth or that, over time, can expose the tooth to bacteria and decay.

An emergency dental appointment means that your dentist will be able to examine the teeth and take any necessary X-rays and/or images to assess any damage and provide you with a plan to help manage any pain while safeguarding your smile.

If you are concerned about an infection or abscess in your tooth or gums, you should contact your dentist as soon as possible.

Apart from the increased risk for discomfort and dental pain, if the infection is not treated it can potentially cause swelling in the face or neck and on some occasions cause a medical emergency.

Rinsing the area with warm salt water can help infected gums and provide short temporary relief while you get to your dentist.

Sometimes sipping and holding cold water around painful teeth may also give temporary relief in abscessed or infected teeth.
However, this not a substitute for dental care which is absolutely essential if there is an abscess present.

In the event that you are having difficulty breathing or you notice your face swelling you should not delay getting help and present to your local hospital Accident & Emergency department.

The short answer is to contact your dentist!

If tooth decay builds up under a filling, it can cause the filling to become loose or fall out or the supporting adjacent tooth structures to break. It’s really important to get the tooth assessed and treated since the sensitive inner part of the tooth is now exposed placing you at a much higher risk for infection and dental pain.

If you’re worried about a loose or lost filling, get in touch and our team will ensure that you get the expert care that your smile needs.

The first thing to do is to locate the crown and place it in a small container or plastic bag for safekeeping and bring it with you to your dentist as soon as possible.

Do not attempt to glue the crown back on as this can not only potentially damage the crown or your own tooth but most glues are not designed for internal use.

If you cannot get to your dentist straight away it is crucial to be very careful to ensure that the crown-treated tooth does not get damaged.

Avoid chewing on the side of the lost crown and stay clear of any hard or chewy foods.

Once your dentist examines the tooth and crown they will be able to advise you of the options for restoring your smile.

Where possible your dentist will usually re-cement the crown back into place.
In certain situations however, this may not be possible and if this is the case your dentist will explain the next steps and create a treatment plan for you that prioritises your smile needs.