What Should You Do if Your Dental Crown Falls Off While You’re Away?
Dental emergencies occur at some of the most inconvenient times. Whether you’re scrambling to get your house cleaned for your soon-to-arrive in-laws or you’re vacationing near the beach with your family, it’s always best to be prepared should you experience a mishap, such as your dental crown falling off. Before you begin to panic, there are ways to take care of the problem even if your dentist is a few or thousands of miles away. Read on to learn how dental crown repair in Fairfax can buy you some time until you can get in to see your dental professional.
What Should You Do if Your Crown Falls Off?
If you’re enjoying a nice dinner with your family and suddenly realize that your dental crown has fallen off, you might be tempted to panic. You’ve just now exposed your broken tooth in Fairfax and have nothing to cover it. The first thing to remember is to stay calm, retrieve the crown, and know that there are solutions available to help in these situations.
Depending on your location, find a local drug store and make your way down the oral health aisle. Among the rows of dental floss and ointments, you should be able to find a product designed for dental cap or crown repair. Most are sold as putty or paste.
Once you return to your hotel, make sure you know which direction your crown will need to fit onto your tooth. Next, fill the inside of your crown with the paste and snap it back into place. Should any of the paste seep out from underneath the crown, bite down on a paper towel to remove it. Anything that is left after the paste is dried can be removed with a toothbrush.
How to Prevent it From Happening
If you want to prevent your dental crown from falling off in the first place, there are steps you can take to reduce the likeliness that it will happen, such as:
- Avoid hard, crunchy foods or ice
- Maintaining a good oral hygiene routine by brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing at least once a day
- Seeing your dentist for regular dental checkups and cleanings
- Don’t use your teeth as tools
Don’t let a loose crown or one that has fallen off derail your time spent with family and friends. Keep a small dental crown repair kit with you as a precaution should your custom restoration come detached. When you are back in town, make sure to call your dentist to alert them to the situation and schedule an appointment to have it permanently cemented into place.
About the Author
Dr. Marjun Ayati earned her bachelor’s degree and her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Maryland. Practicing in Northern Virginia since 1995, she has been nominated as a “Top Dentist” in the Virginia Living and Washingtonian since 2009. She and her colleague, Dr. Brenda Young, are proud to offer patients safe and effective solutions to protecting and strengthening weakened teeth. By providing strong dental crowns, they can help to restore and rebuild your smile to its natural beauty. To learn how we can help you, contact us at (703) 560-6301.