Fixing a broken, chipped, cracked or Loose Tooth

Despite COVID-19 we’re open for new and existing patients for all preventative and emergency dental care.

Here are some useful tips to relive discomfort from your tooth during the COVID-19 Pandemic before calling Smile Hub on 01-5253888 or Book Online through the website:

Broken and chipped teeth
If your tooth has chipped or a piece has broken off, it can create a sharp edge that digs into the tongue, lips or cheek. If it’s causing you pain, you should:
• Floss around the area first, and then thoroughly brush the tooth as normal to keep it clean
• Take over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol to ease pain
• Rub toothpaste directly onto the affected tooth. Don’t rinse your mouth with water afterwards or you’ll wash away the benefits of the toothpaste
• Use cotton wool to apply clove oil to the area, which can help relieve pain
• If you need to, you can buy temporary filling material from your local pharmacy or supermarket and repair the tooth yourself using the instructions directed on the packet. DenTek and Dentanurse are good examples.

If you’re in excruciating pain from a broken or chipped tooth, or it’s causing severe damage to your cheek or lip, contact Smile Hub Dental Clinic immediately. If your tooth is broken or chipped, but you aren’t experiencing any pain, you don’t necessarily need to fill it yourself. Just make sure to take extra care of the tooth, including thorough flossing and cleaning, until you attend Smile Hub Dental Clinic in Bayside Medical Centre in Sutton at your earliest convenience.

Lost filling or hole in tooth
If a lost filling or a hole in your tooth is causing you pain, you can manage it temporarily by:
• Avoiding sugary foods, such as sweets and fizzy drinks, which can aggravate toothache
• Continue to brush your teeth as thoroughly as you can with fluoride toothpaste
• As with a broken tooth, you can buy temporary filling material from your local pharmacy or supermarket, and repair it temporarily yourself using the instructions directed on the packet.
If you don’t feel comfortable using temporary filling material, you can leave your tooth without a filling, but it could leave you at risk of further decay. Make sure you continue to floss or use interdental brushes, followed by brushing your teeth thoroughly to avoid infection and toothache. Please contact Smile Hub Dental Clinic immediately on 01-5253888 to book an urgent appointment or Book Online through www.southdublin.smilehub.ie

Loose or missing crowns and veneers
If you’re suffering from pain with a loose or missing crown, you can usually manage this with over-the-counter pain relief like paracetamol. It’s also key to keep up good oral hygiene to minimise any pain, including using a fluoride toothpaste and reducing your intake of sugary foods. Please contact Smile Hub Dental Clinic as soon as possible to arrange a dental appointment, we’re now taking bookings online too. Keep your crown safe and clean so we can re-fit it for you when you attend at your earliest convenience. Don’t ever try to reattach your crown with super glue or other types of non-dental adhesives.
Even if you can manage a lost filling at home, it’s important that you book an appointment with Smile Hub Dental Clinic for routine dental care, so they can provide a long-term solution.

Loose or rubbing dentures
Similar to loose teeth, loose dentures can also cause discomfort. If you’ve got problems with your dentures, try to:
• Use a denture fixative like Fixodent or Sealbond denture pads to help make them more comfortable
• Use an emery board to adjust any sharp area on your dentures
• Leave your dentures out as much as you can if they’re too sore to wear
If you’re struggling with your dentures, you should book an appointment with Smile Hub Dental Clinic immediately so they we can provide you with a long-term solution or talk you through other alternatives for replacing missing teeth.

For further help and advice
If you have a problem which isn’t referenced in this article and is affecting your ability to sleep or concentrate, please call Smile Hub Dental Clinic immediately on 01-5253888 or Book Online.
If you’re experiencing dental pain, find out more in our article, how to relieve toothache.
If you don’t have a dentist, or your practice is closed due to COVID-19 you can contact us here at Smile Hub Dental Clinic for emergency support.

If you can manage problems with broken, loose or chipped teeth at home, we’d still encourage you to visit your local practice once it reopens for routine dental care.

From Smile Hub Dental Clinic
The health, wellbeing and safety of our patients, their families and our people remain our top priority at Smile Hub Dental Clinic. We’d like to thank our patients for their understanding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prevention is better than cure in dentistry so please book an appointment to ensure that you’re not experiencing dental disease at this time. To book a dental appointment please phone us on 01-5253888 or Book Online at www.southdublin.smilehub.ie

We looking forward to welcoming to Smile Hub Dental Clinic and providing you with excellence in dental care.