The Dental Emergency Kit

Dental Emergency Kit sold by Landfall

Another very good dental emergency kit by Traveler's Supply,
only $24.95

http://www.amazon.com/Travelers-Supply-Emergency-Dental-Kit/dp/B001MA316C/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_1

            

   Last week, I went out to dinner with my husband when a very small piece of molar broke off during dinner.  On reporting to the dentist, the following day, I found that there had been some problem with the filling in that tooth, and that this had weakened it sufficiently to allow a small portion of the actual tooth to break off.  I was fortunately able to get a dentist's appointment quickly, and have this repaired.  The new polymers which look white, were used, to which I appear somewhat sensitive, and I have been in pain ever since.  It is therefore not surprising that I would want to make a post on your establishing an emergency dental kit for your preparations.
                     The first and most important thing to do is to make sure you have established a business relationship with a good dentist so that if there IS a disaster, you would still have someone who could see you and help you in an extreme dental emergency.  Yes, some of them will work on Saturdays and Sundays in an emergency, but not if you have not seen them before.  Secondly, it's important that you address any known dental problems you have. Infected or abscessed teeth cannot simply result in the loss of the tooth and a lot of pain, but also in heart lining infections which can produce death.  Rarely, a brain infection can occur following an infected tooth.  General health can be adversely impacted as a result of dental neglect.    Fortunately, in much of the world, dental care is less expensive than it is in the United States.   When we were in Russia, I spent considerable time looking in the hotel menu of dental services, wishing that I could have my regular dental work done at such reasonable prices !  In many parts of the world, dental care is a good value.
                  Following addressing known problems and maintaining your teeth and gums as your dentist directs. there are some other things you can and should do, in anticipation of emergencies.  One is to get sufficient Vitamin C.  Since our bodies cannot store Vitamin C, we need some each day.  Without Vitamin C, gum diseases accelerate, and without healthy gums, our gums recede, and we accelerate the process of losing our teeth.  Many nations are good about this, and in Russia, people are liberal with lemon juice as a means of getting their Daily C.  In Europe, oranges are very popular in one form or another.  In the US, Vitamin C appears to slide just a little more.  With the skyrocketing costs of orange juice, this isn't a breakfast staple anymore.  Look at your diet and your supplements. Are you receiving a sufficient amount ?
                 Make sure you are getting adequate calcium. If you are a pregnant woman or nursing mother, your calcium requirements are higher. If you are a person taking thyroid hormones, estrogen supplements following menopause,  drugs to correct osteoporosis, or someone with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, you may also need calcium supplementation and additional Vitamin D.
                 Next, you should establish a dental emergency kit.  The two above are excellent examples.
These do not allow you to repair your own teeth or become your own family dentist, but they do allow you to make it to the dentist's appointment at the end of the week without going mad in pain. They will allow you to temporarily fill a lost filling.
             My favorite kit can be purchased from:

   http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sfa36.html?cmp=amazon-ppc&am=sfa36&utm_source=sfa36&utm_medium=shopping%2Bengine&utm_campaign=amazon-ppc

It contains:

 

Dental examining gloves Dental examining mirror Dental tweezers Dental exploring point Dental spatula Dental wax Dental floss Dentemp filling material Dentemp crown & bridge cement Dental ointment for cold sores

Dental ointment for canker sores Salt sticks Cotton stick Cotton rolls Cotton balls Cotton gauze pads Toothbrush with toothpaste Toothache drops (eugenol oil of cloves) Emergency Dental Treatment Instructions

It sells for $34.95 US.

        Fortunately, there are a number of kits available in many places which contain filling material and directions. I would also recommend getting something like Oragel or Anbesol, which basically is Benzocaine 20%. Using a small amount around the gum of a tooth which is painful can be a big help at times.

  

This kit is only $19.99 from Amazon.com

A good kit enables you to deal with toothache; loss of a filling, crown or cap; a tooth fracture; gum irritation and sores, or irritation from braces, or new dentures. This kit is used for emergencies only and is not intended to replace regular professional dental care or when available, emergency dental care.



This one is a Hiker's dental kit:

Hiker's Emergency Dental Kit, available at Landfall, above.

 

       Also, the other thing I have found is that many fillings, done at the dentists particularly those filled with the newer quickly setting polymers do not seem to provide the same level of hot cold protection as did the amalgam fillings.   I am extremely sensitive to cold when I eat, to the point at which I am not requesting "no ice" in anything.   There is a line of Sensodyne and similar toothpastes which help the user's teeth to be less sensitive to temperature changes, following dental repair.

       There are also simply Den-temp kits which for two or three dollars provides emergency filling material. This is the same material that your dentist uses to temporarily fill a tooth.  You can build your own dental emergency kit around a two or three dollar Den-Temp filling kit.  Please follow the directions for use exactly. These kits do expire eventually, and do best when stored in a heated and cooled environment, so pay attention to where they are housed, and to their expiration dates.  (They do work for some months past their stated date of expiry)

        There is one other thing I should mention.  If you or a child ever lose a viable tooth due to trauma or accident. Save the tooth, place it in cool milk and head to a dentist immediately.  A surprisingly large number of teeth can be reimplanted and anchored temporarily, while the the re-placed tooth regrows roots.
      I hope this post is helpful to you.