Dental injuries and infections can happen to anyone, at any time. Some need attention the same day, and the right first aid in the meantime can make a real difference.
If you have lost a tooth or injured your mouth, jaw or lips, stay calm and call a dentist as soon as you can. During our opening hours, call us. After hours, if the problem is serious, go to the emergency department of your nearest hospital.
A knocked-out tooth
Pick the tooth up by the crown, the part you chew with, and do not touch the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline. Do not scrub it. If it is an adult tooth, put it back in its socket and see a dentist straight away. Never put a baby tooth back.
If a tooth has been pushed out of position but is still in the mouth, use light pressure to ease it back into place, then see a dentist straight away.
There is more detail, including what to keep a tooth in, in What to do when a tooth gets knocked out.
A chipped or broken tooth
A chipped or cracked tooth can be painful and can become infected. If a piece has broken off, keep it in a glass of milk. Rinse your mouth with lukewarm water and cover the tooth with dental wax or sugar-free gum until you can see a dentist.
Bleeding or pain in the mouth
Gently clean the area and keep it cold. If the bleeding does not stop, or signs of infection develop, get treatment straight away.
Calling us
We keep appointment time free on each day we are open for emergencies. Call (08) 9306 2755 and tell us it is an emergency. At the first appointment we deal with the pain and the immediate problem, then talk you through the treatment that should follow.
More on what happens when you arrive is on our emergency dentistry page.