Your Holiday Dental Emergency Kit

By Michael E. King, DDS

It is that time of year. You're going to be traveling, visiting family, and of course… eating! With that being said, one thing you will need on your to do list this season is a “dental emergency kit”. What is that? It is a few items you will need in case a tooth breaks, a filling comes out, or you just have a painful tooth.

Ibuprofen You will need this for pain. Not aspirin ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil). When the gums or a tooth hurts it is most likely due to inflammation. You will need an anti-inflamatory.

Ambasol or Orajel This is for immediate relief of pain in the teeth and gums. You apply it directly to the tooth after brushing and flossing, or directly to the gums where the sore (canker sore) is.

Temporary filling material You can pick this up at any pharmacy. It is a soft “gummy” type material you place in a cavity where a filling has come out or use to hold a crown that came off.

Denture adhesive material (Fixadent, Polygrip) For you denture wearers, if your denture breaks while on vacation, this is your saving grace. Use this to hold your denture in place until you see your dentist.

Lastly, have the number of your dentist handy. If you have an emergency, call them. There are a lot of things that can happen and your dental provider can assist you in how to temporarily fix them so they don't ruin your holiday or vacation.

There you have it. Have a great holiday.