Emergency Evasion: 4 Items for Your Dental Kit

Implementing a healthy hygiene routine of brushing and flossing twice daily can prevent potential dental emergencies, though there’s no guarantee that one won’t occur. You might hurt your teeth, gums, restorations, or orthodontics at any time for a multitude of reasons and acting quickly can make all the difference in saving your smile.

Fortunately, you can be prepared for any urgent scenario by preparing an emergency dental kit to keep at home, in your car, or on the job. Continue reading to learn about 4 helpful things to include!

Item #1: Cotton Swabs or Balls

If you participate in team sports or high-contact activities, you’re more likely to sustain an injury that breaks a tooth or cuts the tender tissues inside your mouth. Having cotton balls in your supplies ensures that you have clean materials to use to pack wounds, slow bleeding, or apply numbing gels or other medications to your teeth or gums.

Item #2: Dental Floss

You might not consider it an emergency if you realize a piece of food has become lodged between your teeth or below your gumline. However, many patients have inadvertently worsened their situation by using utensils, toothpicks, and other household appliances to try to remove stuck objects.

For instance, you could slice your connective tissues or chip a tooth if you’re not careful. Keeping dental floss somewhere easily accessible means that you’ll have a simple but safe way to clean the areas between your teeth or beneath your gums.

Item #3: Dental Mirror

Try though you might, seeing certain corners of your mouth on your own can be seemingly impossible. If you’ve developed a toothache or other issue, you need to be able to identify the problem, which is hard to do if it’s hidden from your field of vision.

Putting a dental mirror in your emergency kit makes it easier to look at what’s happening in your mouth (or someone else’s) to figure out what might have happened and how to handle it.

Item #4: Dental Wax

This is particularly helpful for patients who have braces, though it can also come in handy for other injuries, too. Broken wires and brackets from traditional orthodontics notoriously cut into the insides of your cheeks and lips, which can rub raw spots that can become infected.

You can place a small amount of special wax over share corners or ends of wires to protect your flesh. This can also sometimes be applied to anchor a restoration that has fallen off, like a dental crown that needs to be held in place long enough for you to reach your dentist’s office.

By including a few essentials in your dental kit, you’re taking proactive steps to safeguard your smile in an emergency!

About the Practice

Patients at Marble Dental McKinney benefit from two dentists dedicated to helping local families build their happiest, healthiest smiles. Dr. Hegazin and Dr. Koro collaborate to provide a comprehensive menu of services to people of all ages, including emergency dentistry. They take the time to build lasting relationships so they can quickly identify problem areas and provide customized treatment plans to meet your unique needs. Plus, they offer same-day visits and multiple types of sedatives, so you don’t have to wait for relief in urgent scenarios. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (214) 592-0441.