Emergencies

Tooth Ache

Begin by cleaning around the sore tooth meticulously. Using warm salt water, rinse the mouth to displace any food trapped between teeth. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you use aspirin on the aching tooth or on the gum. In the event of facial swelling, apply a cold compress to the area. For temporary pain relief, paracetamol or ibuprophen are recommended. Come and see Billy as soon as possible.

Broken Tooth

Rinse the area with cold water. Recover any broken tooth fragments. Contact us immediately.

Knocked Out Permanent Tooth

TIME is of the essence! Act immediately! Ideally the tooth should be placed back in the socket within 5 minutes! The chances of survival of the tooth are lessened significantly after 20 minutes of being out of the socket. This is particularly important in a growing child.

Recover the tooth, making sure to hold it by the crown (top) and not the root end. Rinse with cold sterile water, but do not clean or handle the tooth more than necessary. If sterile water is not available, hold the tooth by its crown and very gently wipe the root on the child's tongue to clean the root surface. Reinsert the tooth in the socket and hold it in place using a clean piece of gauze or cloth. If the tooth cannot be reinserted, carry it in a cup containing cold milk. Contact us or the nearest hospital emergency room immediately!

Bleeding After a Baby Tooth Falls Out

Fold a piece of gauze and place it (tightly) over the bleeding area. Have your child bite down on the gauze for 15 minutes; if bleeding continues, come and see us.

Lost or Loose Fillings or Crowns

Save the filling or crown and contact us immediately. In the event that a crown comes loose the area should be assessed within one to two days in order to prevent movement of the adjacent or opposing teeth.