Emergency Dental Supplies to Keep on Hand

You can always rely on your Owensboro and Beaver Dam, KY dentist to take care of you in emergency situations. But between the time you experience the emergency and the time it takes to get to the dentist, there are some things you can do it help yourself, too. Following are the essential emergency dental supplies you should always keep on hand.

Numbing Ointment

Tooth pain can be absolutely excruciating. For nearly instant relief, use a numbing ointment on the affected area. Many people use a cotton swab to apply it. Within a few seconds, it should start working and give you relief until you can get to the dentist.

Over-the-counter Pain Medication

It’s a good idea to keep acetaminophen and ibuprofen in the house to assist with the pain from a dental emergency. Follow label instructions and never take more than the recommended dose.

Gauze

In cases of bleeding—and a knocked-out tooth can result in a lot of blood loss—you’ll want to have sterile gauze on hand. You can fold the gauze over on itself to pack the area where the tooth came out. Apply dental pressure to control bleeding. Keep replacing with clean gauze as it gets soiled.

Dental Mirror

A dental mirror is a small mirror on an angled metal stick. This will allow you to see way back inside your mouth, much like a dentist can. A dental mirror may help you to assess what the problem is with a molar or an area of sensitive gum tissue so that you can explain it over the phone to your dentist.

When you have a dental emergency, contact your dentist right away. If you end up needing a tooth extraction in Beaver Dam, KY or something else, your dentist will be able to treat you accordingly.