Keep these things in your first aid kit to tackle unexpected dental injuries
Dr. D.Sendhil Nathan MDS, DNB Prosthodontics And Implantology
A first aid kit consists of basic & necessary items that empower us to do initial medication to a victim before taking them to the hospital. Proper & timely first aid will prevent serious impairments as well. Generally, a well-stocked first aid kid has accessories like plasters, triangular bandages, tweezers, sticky tape, skin rash creams, etc.
The first aid box of many households and industries has things to address physical ailments, but they often overlook oral health. Hence we recommend our patients keep an emergency dental first aid kit.
Keep reading to know the necessity and what to put in a dental emergency kit.
What should be kept in your dental first aid kit?
Here are the dental items everyone should put in their first aid kit (or) emergency dental first aid kit:
1) Cotton and Gauze pads
When a tooth is knocked out of the mouth or sutures become loose in the mouth due to certain dental practices, bleeding is unavoidable. In those circumstances, keeping the injured site clean and preventing blood from oozing is vital.
Keeping a clean cotton or gauze pad in the avulsed tooth’s region and biting it gently will absorb the blood and stop bleeding.
2) Antiseptic Mouthwash
Antiseptic mouthwash is the best way to tackle toothaches provoked by no reason. The primary cause of such tooth pain is oral bacteria.
Antiseptic mouthwashes are formulated to minimize the microbial existence in our mouths. It means gargling your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash will give instant relief from pain in the teeth triggered by bacteria and germs.
3) Clove Essential Oil
Similar to antiseptic mouthwash, clove extracts like clove oils also mitigate pain in our teeth. Since ancient times, this essential oil has been widely utilized as a natural toothache remedy. Therefore, we advise keeping it in your dental kit.
All you need to do is, apply a few drops of clove oil over the aching teeth. You’ll feel relief right away.
4) Tea Bags
Like gauze pads, moisturized tea bags are recommended to stop blood oozing after a tooth is avulsed or injured. It is because tannins in tea powder are powerful enough to constrict blood vessels. It implies that putting tea bags over the wounded oral region will stop bleeding.
Keep in mind that if extensive bleeding occurs when a tooth is harmed or comes out, the avulsed tooth’s neighboring teeth may become loose.
5) Small plastic container
As discussed earlier, if a tooth’s fractured or shattered pieces are kept moist for a specific time, they can be cemented. You should dip the tooth’s broken pieces in milk and use the container to store them while visiting your dentist.
6) Dental Wax
Dental wax is necessary when metal brackets or an archwire get loose and begin to perforate oral tissues. The repaired brace components could irritate the soft oral tissues if it isn’t treated right away. Orthodontists advise patients to put wax on the brace wire to stabilize the teeth straightener until it is repaired.
7) Temporary Dental Cement
Also known as Temporary OTC cement, it temporarily protects the sensitive layers of a tooth, which has been restored with dental caps or dental fillings.
It would help if you replaced the glued dental restorations with temporary dental cement when they get loose or fall out for protection. It shields the underlying tissues from microbial invasion to a great extent until the tooth is repaired clinically.
8) Pain relievers
To treat persistent tooth pain that is followed by an unexpected accident, you should keep the medications recommended by dental professionals. We recommend keeping the following items in your oral first aid kit to lessen toothache:
- Oral anesthetic
- Oral ointments
- Pain relievers
Bottom line
The first aid kits empower an individual to deal with medical emergencies smartly. However, many people neglect the items to provide first aid for tooth injuries. Remember that your mouth and teeth are also vulnerable to unforeseen injuries, which might lead to catastrophic effects if proper initial care is not provided.
So it is crucial to keep the items discussed here in your first aid kit for your dental health.
