In almost every home, there is a first aid kit kept in a safe place for emergencies. We want to keep our families safe all the time, but what about dental first aid kits? Tooth trauma and emergencies are just as important as any other physical emergency you may experience. If a dental emergency happens at home, in the playground, or in the pool, you need to have all the important information and tools with you.
You must keep your family’s dental information handy such as your dentist’s contact number, dental history information, and dental first aid kit to immediately respond to dental emergencies and mitigate any damage. Whether you or your family experience loss of a filling or a broken tooth, you must be ready with the right tools.
Why is an Emergency Dental Kit Important?
There are a lot of instances where you will find yourself or a loved one badly needing dental attention. You may be having fun in the backyard, and one of your kids may fall and break a tooth. This will need immediate attention, but what if the nearest dentist is at least an hour’s drive away?
If you have not prepared for such a situation, you will find yourself unable to do much about it. Having an emergency dental kit is very important in such occasions for you to be able to ease the pain or stop the bleeding before you are able to get to an actual dentist.
Here are important tools you can include in your dental first aid kit:
1. General Dental Supplies
These tools are the essential first aid kit contents for basic dental practice, it includes:
- Gloves – before aiding another person’s teeth, you have to make sure you are wearing gloves. Keep latex or vinyl gloves in your kit to be able to treat anyone safely
- Cotton – cotton balls and gauze pads are important to stop the bleeding
- Dental Floss – if there is any food stuck between the teeth, it may cause major discomfort. Help provide relief during this instance by keeping dental floss in your kit
- Dental mirror – dental mirrors are important for a more serious injury or emergency. You can get one with a flashlight attached so you can see all the corners of the mouth easily
2. Medication and Pain Relievers
In serious cases, one may experience intense pain in their teeth or gums, you can use pain relievers to ease the pain. You can include:
- Ice Pack – the first resort for a loose tooth or injury. Use an ice pack for pain relief and to reduce swelling
- Ibuprofen – this over-the-counter pain reliever comes in handy for any types of pain and most especially for toothaches and dental injuries
- Orajel – to ease the pain more effectively, you can use Orajel ointment. It can provide instant temporary relief for soft tissue damage.
If you don’t have any idea how to use and operate the items listed above, ask your dentist to explain everything to you. Educate yourself so that you will always come prepared for any dental emergencies and injuries your family may experience.
All of the tools mentioned above can help with any sort of dental emergencies such as:
- Broken cavity fillings
- Dislodged bridges and dental inlays or onlays
- Replanting dislodged teeth
- Clearing the mouth of any blood, and
- Broken teeth
You do not need to practice dentistry to be able to rush to a dental emergency. With the help of basic dentistry knowledge and an equipped dental emergency kit, you can save you and your family a lot of pain and money by avoiding the dentist for something you can do yourself. Always be prepared and always check all your equipment to make sure everything is complete and in top-quality condition.
Some injuries may be too serious for a simple home dental remedy and will require you to seek professional help from a dentist, like if the tooth has been knocked out. If this happens, there is still something you can do to treat it before getting the chance to go to the dentist. All you have to do is rinse the tooth with water and try to place it back in the socket as firmly as possible.
If this method fails, place the tooth in a clean cup with milk or water, and bring it with you when you rush to the dentist.
If you ever experience dental emergencies too serious for you to handle, you can visit Sunrise Dentistry. We have the best holistic dentist in Durango, CO ready to help with all of your dental emergencies and questions. At Sunrise Dentistry you can be sure that you and your family are in safe hands. Visit our website or give us a call for any inquiries or to book an appointment.
