Eight Items to Include in Your Dental Emergency Kit

Having a first aid kit at home, in the car or when travelling is quite common these days. Is a dental emergency kit part of your first aid kit?

It’s hard to think logically and have necessary items on-hand to deal with the situation when an accident occurs. It’s always better to be prepared.

Setting up your Dental Emergency Kit

The main purpose of setting up your Dental Emergency Kit is to relieve the stress of the situation and deal with it the best possible way. It’s impossible to plan for every dental emergency, but the following information will help you cover common dental emergencies until you make it to the dentist.

Click here for information on what to do in case of a dental emergency.

A Dental Emergency Kit is more useful when you know what to do with it. To help you with this, print this blog up to keep as instructions in the kit.

Making your own Dental Emergency Kit. Eight essential items.

Making your own dental emergency kit using the following eight items will generally get you out of trouble long enough to get to a dentist.

1. Disposable Gloves: When performing first aid on other people, disposable gloves are essential. They serve as a barrier against blood, saliva and other body fluids which can be infective.
   It’s a simple item to include and very important to have on-hand, quickly when needed. Due to allergies with latex, there are modern, alternative, synthetic options available such as vinyl and nitrile.
2. Cotton Gauze: This is especially useful when there is bleeding. Gauze is used to stop bleeding by applying pressure to soft tissue injuries or to bite down on, in case of a tooth being knocked out.
3. Antiseptic Mouthwash or Oral Gel: These are used to rinse, clean and help prevent infections. The most effective mouthwashes and oral gels are those containing chlorhexidine as the active ingredient. Examples of these include Savacol and Difflam. As an alternative, salt packets can be used in your dental emergency kit for making a warm, saltwater rinse which can help reduce pain and swelling.
4. Pain Relievers: Over-the-counter pain medications like Paracetamol (Panadol) and Ibuprofen (Nurofen) may be essential to help deal with dental pain. As with all medications, it’s important to follow the instructions on the packet, pay attention to your medical history and any interactions they may have with your current medications. If in doubt, consult your medical doctor or dentist. Clove Oil (Eugenol) can be used as an alternative or in combination with the pain relievers. It’s applied topically (and sparingly) to help with pain relief. You don’t want to get too much on the gums or soft tissues as it can cause a reaction.
5. Wax: Orthodontic wax (you can get this from your dentist) or beeswax may be used as a temporary filling material. It can also be applied to prevent irritation and discomfort from sharp edges or orthodontic wires and appliances. Use it to fill a hole or to cover sharp, broken teeth & fillings.
6. Toothbrush and Dental Floss: No dental kit would be complete without a toothbrush and dental floss. Both are essential to keep the teeth and gums clean or to dislodge food to prevent infection.
7. Small Container with a Lid: This is especially important if a tooth is knocked out. It’s important to store a knocked-out tooth in milk (or saline) until you can reach a dentist.
8. Dental Mirror: It is possible to get disposable dental mirrors from some chemists or maybe one from your dentist. Having one would help you see the back of your teeth or mouth when dealing with a dental issue.

A dental emergency is difficult to predict or foresee and so keeping a compact kit with essential items is handy to have close by. Whether at home, in the car or especially when travelling, it’s nice to know you’ve got it covered.

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call on 55972100 and let us know your concerns. If you haven’t already met one of our friendly dentists, we’d love to organize an appointment especially for you. At Define Dental, we strive to build relationships that are deep and long-lasting. By getting to know you well, we’re then best positioned to advise and guide you for your unique situation.