Dental emergency
— lost filling

Don’t wait to replace a missing filling:

• Delay can be detrimental to the remaining tooth structure.

• Delay may damage the underlying nerve.

• There may be sharp edges that may cause injury to your tongue or cheek

• Root fracture may occur and the tooth may be lost.

First aid for a missing filling:

• Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out.

• Keep the area clean by using a soft brush.

• Place a piece of sugarless chewing gum that has softened, in the hole which contained the filling.

• Do not leave as is. Call us as soon as possible for an appointment.

 Dental emergency
— chipped tooth

If a filling or artificial tooth becomes chipped, it should be replaced sooner rather than later.

First aid for chipped teeth:

• If there is no pain and the chip is small, it is not of immediate urgency.

• The chipped tooth should be assessed for underlying damage especially to the remaining tooth structure or filling if the tooth is filled.

• Call us for an appointment to have the chip assessed.

 Dental emergency
— wisdom tooth pain

Symptoms of pain related to wisdom teeth:

• Infected and impacted wisdom teeth.

• Swelling may be associated.

• Pain to adjacent teeth, jaw, ear, biting, eating and limited jaw opening.

• Bad taste in the mouth and bleeding gum.

• Bad breath.

First aid for wisdom teeth pain:

• Wash your mouth out with warm water.

• Clean the area with a soft toothbrush. Bleeding is OK.

• Take a painkiller such as paracetamol (e.g. Panadol) or ibuprofen (e.g. Nurofen).

• Call us immediately for an emergency appointment.

 Dental emergency
— dental abscess

Symptoms of a dental abscess:

• Signs and symptoms include pain with sudden onset, swelling, pus near a tooth or gum pocket.

• Bad taste and bad breath.

• Difficulty opening your mouth..

• The swelling can spread to the entire face and neck very quickly if left untreated.

First aid for an abscessed tooth:

• Wash your mouth out with warm water.

• Take a painkiller such as paracetamol (e.g. Panadol) or ibuprofen (e.g. Nurofen).

• Call us immediately for an emergency appointment.

 Dental emergency
— knocked-out tooth

Knocked-out teeth must be treated with care and urgency.

Symptoms of a knocked-out tooth:

• Other than a gap where the tooth used to be, symptoms will including swelling, pain, excessive bleeding from the tooth socket or gum, and possibly from the lips and cheek.

First aid for a knocked-out tooth:

• If the tooth is DIRTY, rinse very gently in slow running water for NOT TOO LONG.

• DO NOT SCRUB IT or remove any fragments of tissue that may be attached to the root surface.

• Gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket.

• If it is not possible to insert the tooth in the socket, place the tooth in a cup of MILK.

• If there is bleeding or swelling, apply a cold compress. Ice for swelling and pressure for bleeding.

• Call us immediately for an emergency appointment.

 Dental emergency
— possible broken jaw

If you suspect a broken jaw do not wait, treat with urgency!

First aid for a jaw injury:

• DO NOT move the jaw.

• Secure the jaw in place by tying a handkerchief, necktie, or towel around the jaw and over the top of the head.

• Call us immediately or go directly to the hospital emergency department.

 Dental emergency
— braces & retainers

First aid for problems with braces and retainers:

• If the wire is causing irritation, cover the end with a small cotton ball, beeswax or a piece of gauze until you are able to see you orthodontist.

• If a wire gets stuck in the cheek, tongue or gum tissue, DO NOT attempt to remove it. Call us or your orthodontist immediately.

• If an appliance becomes loose or a piece of it breaks of, take the appliance to the orthodontist.

Did you know?
Cambridge City Dental can design and fit Invisalign® clear braces which have no protruding wires that might cause irritation or discomfort. Find out how more and how you can get your own clear braces in Perth.