A dental emergency can happen at the most inconvenient times, even during the COVID-19 restrictions. In light of this, in conjunction with Smile Docs®, we will publishing a series of articles called: “What Can You Do When You Can’t Get To See The Dentist”.

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, the Australian Dental Association guidelines allow us to take emergency appointments and the treatment of pain only (level 3 restrictions).

What To Do If a Filling Falls Out and Your Tooth is Very Sensitive

Today, I want to discuss what to do if your a filling falls out.

When a patient calls because a filling fell out we always instruct them to come into the office ASAP so we can repair the problem and do a new filling procedure. It can be scary when a filling falls out, but rule number one is don’t panic. If a filling fell out while you were eating, stop chewing immediately and take the filling out of your mouth. You don’t want to swallow the filling whether it is a resin composite, gold fillings, silver fillings or composite filling. Swallowing any foreign body is never a good idea.

Tooth fillings can come loose for a variety of reasons including age and from biting down hard enough to break the bond of the filling. Metal and composite filling are meant to last about 10 years but there are a lot of factors that will affect the longevity of your filling.

When you need a filling it is typically because of cavities. Having fillings can be restorative for a decayed tooth. Good oral hygiene is good for your oral health but sometimes over-vigorous brushing or flossing can weaken the filling.

What you need to know is that when a filling fell out it does not mean anything too serious, you may experience some tooth pain. During normal operation, it can be repaired quickly and easily by our friendly staff. The most important thing you can do is call the practice quickly because there may be other problems that caused the filling to fall out.

Under the current COVID-19 regulation we are not allowed to place fillings so it is best that you clean the area and fill it with a temporary filling material like Denta Fix Cement and avoid the area until we go back to normal operation and fix it for you.

If you have a dental emergency and would like to schedule an appointment, click on the contact form below or you may call our office directly.

Dr Rammo and his justSMILE practice are still operational, give them a call if you have any concerns about your dental health.

Meanwhile make sure that you keep your social distance stay at home and take care of yourselves.

Remember to exercise hydrate and eat well, bear in mind that this virus has a serious effects in people with certain medical conditions and in people with lower immunity.

As you may already know, in accordance with the latest recommendations from the Australian Dental Association, and to assist in maintaining the safety of our patients and staff, we have deferred all routine dental treatments and restricting appointments to emergencies and the treatment of pain only (level 3 restrictions). In light of this, in conjunction with Smile Docs®, we will publishing a series of articles called: “What Can You Do When You Can’t Get To See The Dentist”. Okay, let’s begin…

A Crown Came Off My Tooth – What Do I Do?

If your dental crown falls out of your mouth, it may come as a shock. After all, you may have even forgotten you had one in the first place, as it’s probably been in your mouth for years. But no matter how it happens, it’s important to know what to do immediately after it falls out.

1. The best thing to do is to clean the crown by using your toothpaste and toothbrush.
2. If it looks hollow then it’s good news next step is to disinfect it with some alcohol.
3. Store it in a container or a resealable bag.
4. Call our practice and we might be able to get it cemented back in place.

If you can’t get to us then you might be able to seat it back using temporary cement like Denta Fix cement which is readily available from any pharmacy.

Follow these steps before cementing it back on:

1. Gently clean off the tooth
2. Check that the crown fits properly over the tooth.
3. Remember which way it is fitting
4. Put some cement material then seat it and bite on until set.
5. Try and avoid using that tooth until you can come and see us.

If you have a dental emergency and would like to schedule an appointment, click on the contact form below or you may call our office directly.

First of all thank you for being or loyal patients at justSMILE

I wanted to write to you as we are going through these tough times with the corona virus situations. As of now we are on level 3 which restricts dental treatments to emergencies and relief of pain, so I wanted to go over few scenarios of what to do if you can’t get to see us.
As such, in accordance with the latest recommendations from the Australian Dental Association, and to assist in maintaining the safety of our patients and staff, we will now be deferring all routine dental treatments and restricting appointments to urgent treatment and emergencies dental procedures only.

The ADA defines this as…

• New or recent swelling of your gums or face (within the past three to seven days).
• Severe toothache pain (on a pain scale of 1-10, a 5 or more that has lasted more than 24 hours).
• Tooth infection.
• Bleeding in your mouth that does not stop following tooth extraction or gum surgery.
• Recent trauma, such as broken tooth causing pain.

Emergency Dentistry When You Need It Most:

The last few days have been spent modifying our dental practices to be able to still answer or return your phone calls with good advice and reassurance. We are also working hard to ensure that we can work remotely.

On the most serious of dental emergencies, we may still see you. However, our number one priority is of course to ensure your and our staff safety during such procedures. Please continue to call us, email us or use our online scheduling tool for any dental queries. We will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.

Information When You Want It Most: The NEW justSMILE Dental Newsletter

On the side, in conjunction with Smile Docs®, we are also working on and will publish a series of new articles called: “What Can You Do When You Can’t Get To See The Dentist”.

These are designed to give our patients valuable advice during this difficult time, when most dentists are forcibly closed. Look out for them. We will have as many topics as possible and will publish them regularly. I will also update all our patients regularly with emails and videos. This is an unprecedented crisis. We are making new rules as we go, to ensure that we are all safe and come out on the other side, healthy and stronger.

I thank you very much, our dearest patients, for your understanding, patience and support. I urge everyone to come back and support us, when this is all over, for the best dental service that you are all accustomed to. Till then, stay safe, be kind to one another and look after your love ones.

Request a consultation

Top 9 Toothache Causes

Ah, the dreaded toothache.  In the dark ages, people believed toothaches to be the result of witchcraft or a curse.  And if you’ve experienced one lately it’s easy to understand why!

Luckily today we know the real causes of a toothache and the treatment options.

Why is a toothache so painful?

No, you’re not a wuss:).  A toothache can cause severe tooth pain, and there’s a good reason for that.  

Your head, face and teeth are richly supplied by the nervous system making it a very sensitive area.  The inside of your teeth contain many nerves and therefore neural connections to the pain centres in your brain.

A bad toothache is your body sending out an SOS distress signal.  It’s alerting the brain that something is wrong.

So here are the top causes of a toothache.

But first a disclaimer: this is not a way to diagnose what is causing your particular toothache.  The only way to confirm the cause of a toothache is for a dentist to check your teeth and take x-rays.  

 

1. Tooth Decay or Cavities 

Along with the common cold, teeth decay is one of the most common human ailments and accounts for about 24% of all trips to the dentist. 

Nearly half of all Australian children under age six have some tooth decay in their baby teeth.  One in ten has at least one tooth with untreated tooth decay according to an Adelaide University study.

Australian adults (15 years and over) have nearly eight tooth fillings on average as a result of tooth decay.  

But here’s the thing, in the early stages of tooth decay you won’t feel any pain.  The first small lesion might just look like a stain or discolouration. Sometimes you won’t be able to see it at all if it’s on your back teeth or upper teeth.  

If the decay is only on the outer surface of your tooth, what’s known as the enamel, there is no pain to alert you that something’s wrong.  However, once it gets into your softer inner layers of the tooth – the dentin and pulp – that’s when it becomes painful and also more challenging to treat.

If your toothache has persisted more than two days then get in to see your dentist straight away!  

Catching tooth decay early means we can usually just treat it with a tooth coloured filling or a sealant. At JustSMILE we have invested in laser technology so this treatment is quick with minor to no discomfort.

On the other hand, left untreated the decay can lead to an abscess (pocket of pus) forming on your tooth root which is not only painful but can lead to tooth loss.

 

2. Cracked or Chipped tooth 

If you break or chip part of your tooth, you mightn’t feel any pain at first (especially with cracks), but it can lead to bacteria getting in and infecting your tooth.  You’ll first get sensitivity to hot and cold and eventual pain when biting/chewing.

Cracked and chipped teeth are so common that I’ve written an entire post on the causes, symptoms and treatments in my “What happens if you ignore a broken or chipped tooth” post.

 

3. Gum Disease 

Gum disease is common and, you may be surprised to learn, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.  Gum disease causes sensitive, red, swollen gums and also tooth pain.

You may notice that your gums bleed and hurt during brushing and flossing.  Those with gum disease tend to describe it as a consistent dull toothache.

Only your dentist can confirm if you have gum disease and advise you on the best gum disease treatment.  The earlier gum disease is caught the better the chance of stopping it. If left untreated it will lead to bone loss around your tooth and possible tooth loss.

 

4. Sensitive teeth 

Do you feel sharp tooth pain when you eat or drink hot or cold foods and drinks?  Chances are you have temperature sensitivity (provided you are cavity free and don’t have a cracked/chipped tooth).  

There many causes of sensitive teeth from worn down enamel to grinding of teeth.  The best way to understand the reason for your tooth sensitivity is to visit your dentist and have them check for the cause and then prescribe the best treatment for you.  

 

5. Teeth grinding & jaw clenching 

Grinding teeth (bruxism or bruxing) is a common and growing problem.  It’s thought to be caused predominantly by stress, anxiety and mental concentration but there are other causes too, and there is no clear-cut answer as to why some people do this habitually.  

Prof. Christopher Peck, Dean of Dentistry at the University of Sydney recently said that “we’re all likely to have episodes of teeth grinding at some point in our lives”.  Further, about one in ten Australians have “ongoing” bruxism.

Bruxing occurs when you involuntary clench or grind of the teeth and mostly occurs when you sleep but for some even when you are awake!

Heavy grinders wear down their tooth enamel and this causes tooth sensitivity and tooth pain.  Grinding and clenching can also lead to a sore head and neck.

Like most dental related problems there could be many reasons you are bruxing so your dentist will need to do a clinical examination, take some x-rays and look for the most probable cause and treatment.  

One of the most common ways to prevent damage to teeth in bruxers is for your dentist to make a special splint that you wear while you sleep called a nightguard.

 

6. Heavy-handed tooth brushing 

Do you buy a toothbrush and very quickly find that the bristles quickly are worn, bent and haggard?  Aggressive brushing and flossing can lead to sensitive, irritated and painful gums. It’s even possible to damage where the gum attaches to the tooth and cause the gums to recede which results in further pain.

Always use gentle circular strokes and a soft brush and when brushing your teeth and gums.  Your dentist will be able to visually check for any tell-tale signs of gum damage from vigorous brushing.

 

7. Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Our wisdom teeth – third molars – are the last to erupt at around the age of 17-24.  For many, there just isn’t enough space in the jaw to allow the teeth to come through and they become impacted.  

Impacted wisdom teeth are extremely painful.  Your dentist will take a special 3-D x-ray of your jaw to see the wisdom teeth and decide the best treatment for you.  In most cases, once they are infected and painful removing them is the best solution.

 

8. Damaged fillings

If a filling is damaged or falls out, it can expose the inside of the tooth making it sensitive to hot and cold and allow bacteria to get into the tooth.  This can cause a toothache, and the best course of action is to have the damaged filling checked out and replaced.

 

9. Orthodontic treatment 

This one is fairly obvious.  Those who’ve had braces or clear aligners may have felt the discomfort from the gentle tooth movement.  This tooth pain usually happens when the aligners are changed and should be fine within a couple of days.  Make sure you discuss this with the dentist providing treatment so they can check for other problems.

 

Need a dentist Nearby? 

Have a toothache and need a dentist ?  Contact the JustSMILE team today.  Emergency dental visits are typically seen and treated on the same day. We are also able to provide prescription-only pain relief medication for severe pain.

If you have an emergency dental appointment it’s important to take care of your teeth in the meantime.

Sometimes it won’t be possible to see us straight away when you have a toothache or a dental emergency. Your dental emergency may be after hours, or you may have to wait a small amount of time for your appointment.  Keep in mind that at JustSMILE we always allocate time slots for emergency appointments and you can book directly online at a time that suits you.

There are generally two different types of tooth emergencies: your tooth has been chipped, broken or knocked out or you have a sudden toothache.

What to do in case of emergency:

The four things you need to do right away:

1. Stop any bleeding
2. Keep the tooth safe
3. Stop pain
4. Make a Dental Appointment

 

1. How to stop bleeding

It’s important to stop bleeding so you don’t lose a significant amount of blood. To do this get a piece of gauze, a cloth or even a tightly scrunched up ball of tissue and press it on the bleeding area. Bite down gently so that enough pressure is put on the gum to minimise the bleeding.

 

 2. How to keep the tooth safe

Once the bleeding is controlled you will need to try and keep your tooth safe. The best way to do this is to pick it up by the crown (the top of your tooth) and place it in the hollow of your cheek or under your tongue. You can also place it in a small glass of milk.

 

 

3. How to stop a toothache and pain

There are a number of ways you can manage pain in times of a dental emergency:

• • Warm cloth or heat pack
  • Cold compress
  • Gum numbing gel
  • Appropriate pain medication

 

4. Make an Emergency Dental Appointment

At JustSMILE we always leave time in our day for Emergency Dental Appointments, you can book directly online or if there are no appointments available – don’t stress!  Call our caring team at the practice on 9529 7555 and we will be sure to fit you in.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

What pain medication should I take?

Before you visit your dentist you can get over the counter pain medication.  Your choices include:

• Mersyndol Forte (which can result in drowsiness)
• Paracetomol
• Panedine Plus/Extra (high level of codeine)
• Voltarin (if you have muscular pain in your jaw muscles)

Can I visit the ER with a toothache?

If you visit the ER with a toothache they will only be able to provide strong pain medication until you can get in to see us. They generally can’t operate on the spot if you need an extraction unless they happen to have a consulting dentist at the hospital (which not all hospitals do). It is always recommended that you visit a qualified dentist who has undergone the extra training necessary to perform extractions and other emergency dental procedures with absolute precision.

There is also always a chance that you’ll be waiting in the ER for hours and if you require surgery you may be placed on a waiting list that can take years to be publicly funded.

Need an Emergency Dentist in Ramsgate Beach?

JustSMILE is only 7 minutes from St George Hospital so if you have a dental emergency please call us on 02 9159 3764.

We allow space for dental emergencies so never assume we can’t fit you in.