Any time you are away from home, a dental injury can occur. When it happens, having the right items on hand can help manage your pain and reduce the potential of further damage. But what items are necessary when a toothache, a lost filling, a broken denture, or a knocked-out tooth occurs? Keep reading to learn what to pack in your dental emergency kit.
Emergency Essentials: What to Keep in Your Kit
When faced with a dental emergency, you’ll want to make sure that you have everything you need to protect your mouth while waiting to see your dentist. Some of the most prominent items might include:
- Dental floss
- Dental mirror
- Cotton balls/swabs
- Dental wax
- Temporary dental cement
- Orthodontic wax
- Latex gloves
- Salt
- Ice pack
- Emergency number to your dentist’s office
- Toothbrush
- Gauze
- Temporary dental filling material
- Sugarless gum
- Small container
- Pain management medication (i.e., ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc.)
What Should You Do in a Dental Emergency?
Having the right instruments and items readily available is one of the best ways to ensure appropriate and timely care when dealing with a dental emergency. However, once you’ve gained control of the situation, you’ll need to take certain steps to get in to see your dentist.
First, you’ll need to call the office and tell a member of your dental team about the situation. You’ll receive a time to come in and undergo an examination before the dentist determines how best to treat the problem.
After arriving, the dentist will take X-rays and other digital images to identify the problem area. After compiling their notes and formulating a plan, they will go over the details with you to ensure you are satisfied with the plan of action.
If the issue is minor (i.e., small chip, toothache caused by sinus congestion, etc.), the dentist may be able to address the problem on the same day. However, if the damage is severe (i.e., broken denture, abscess, etc.), your dental team may schedule you to come back on another day to receive more invasive and complex treatment.
Handling a dental emergency at home is different than when you’re away, so why not make sure you’re ready and equipped no matter where you are? By creating and keeping a dental emergency kit, you’ll feel more confident knowing you can manage the problem until it’s time to see a dental professional.
About the Practice
Emergency dentistry is available at Indy Dental Group. Our team of qualified dentists readily sees patients struggling with a dental emergency and needs help to rebuild their damaged and broken smiles. No matter what kind of injury they face, our dentists can alleviate the pain and treat the underlying problem so that a fully restored smile is all they see. If you want to be more proactive about your smile and what you can do in an emergency, contact us at (317) 846-6125.