First Aid for Dental Emergencies
When taking a trip, many people are prepared for a medical emergency. However, many are unprepared for a dental emergency. But you can take simple measures to prepare for a dental emergency by taking some items along, in addition to a medical first aid kit.
The following items can be of help in making a custom dental emergency first aid kit and can be purchased from your local drugstore. Or click on the item to purchase it online from drugstore.com:
The following items can be of help in making a custom dental emergency first aid kit and can be purchased from your local drugstore. Or click on the item to purchase it online from drugstore.com:
Dislodged Cap (Crown)
Use petroleum jelly or Dentemp cement and gently replace the cap onto the tooth. If still too loose, remove to avoid aspiration and more severe problems. Seek dental attention.
Braces
Sharp wires can be coated with dental wax or sugarless gum until one can see his or her orthodontist..
Lost Filling
Gently clean area. Use dental mirror and pen light to locate cavity. Place a small cotton pellet barely soaked in oil of cloves solution into cavity. The pellet should be dried as best possible on a tissue before placing into cavity. Seek dental attention as soon as you can.
Knocked Out Tooth
If a permanent tooth is dislodged from the socket due to trauma, try gently replacing it into the tooth socket. Do not scrub the tooth clean. You can damage the fibers needed for reattachment. If the tooth cannot be replaced for whatever reason, place in between cheek and side of mouth and do not swallow. If you cannot, place in a glass of milk. Keep it moist. Time is critical … Get to a dentist immediately. A tetanus vaccine may be needed. If the tooth lost is a baby tooth, try to control bleeding by having child bite on a moist gauze for 15 minutes. If it does not stop, seek dental care. Leave the baby tooth out. Do not replace.
Bleeding in Mouth from Trauma
Use moistened gauze on area with continuous pressure for 15 minutes. If bleeding does not stop, seek immediate dental or medical care to make sure sutures are not necessary, that vital blood vessels have not been disrupted, or that dental infection does not result.
As always, we state that these are all only tentative measures, when one cannot seek immediate professional care. One should seek prompt dental or medical care as soon as possible to avoid more serious problems.
Use petroleum jelly or Dentemp cement and gently replace the cap onto the tooth. If still too loose, remove to avoid aspiration and more severe problems. Seek dental attention.
Braces
Sharp wires can be coated with dental wax or sugarless gum until one can see his or her orthodontist..
Lost Filling
Gently clean area. Use dental mirror and pen light to locate cavity. Place a small cotton pellet barely soaked in oil of cloves solution into cavity. The pellet should be dried as best possible on a tissue before placing into cavity. Seek dental attention as soon as you can.
Knocked Out Tooth
If a permanent tooth is dislodged from the socket due to trauma, try gently replacing it into the tooth socket. Do not scrub the tooth clean. You can damage the fibers needed for reattachment. If the tooth cannot be replaced for whatever reason, place in between cheek and side of mouth and do not swallow. If you cannot, place in a glass of milk. Keep it moist. Time is critical … Get to a dentist immediately. A tetanus vaccine may be needed. If the tooth lost is a baby tooth, try to control bleeding by having child bite on a moist gauze for 15 minutes. If it does not stop, seek dental care. Leave the baby tooth out. Do not replace.
Bleeding in Mouth from Trauma
Use moistened gauze on area with continuous pressure for 15 minutes. If bleeding does not stop, seek immediate dental or medical care to make sure sutures are not necessary, that vital blood vessels have not been disrupted, or that dental infection does not result.
As always, we state that these are all only tentative measures, when one cannot seek immediate professional care. One should seek prompt dental or medical care as soon as possible to avoid more serious problems.
