A. Contact your dentist for telephone advice and if you are not registered with a dentist use our find a dentist facility. If the tooth is broken and there are no other symptoms then make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible. If there is pain then calpol is advisable, keep the area as clean as possible by using hot salt-water mouthwashes and brushing gently. For the next few days a soft diet would be advisable.

2. My baby has fallen over and hurt his front teeth they are bleeding and appear to be loose?

A. The bleeding is coming from the gums as a result of the trauma. The teeth may be loose because they are ready to fall out as baby teeth do, or they may have been loosened as a result of the trauma. It is best to seek telephone advice from your dentist. Give your baby some calpol for the pain and a soft diet until you can see your dentist. (Always check the dose required when giving your child Calpol).

3. I have a crown on my front tooth which has dropped out and I cannot get to the dentist immediately, is there anything I can use in an emergency to hold the crown in until I can go to the surgery?

A. You will need to go to the surgery as soon as possible, but there are a couple things that you can try to hold the crown in for a short while. If you can get some denture adhesive and use that to cement the crown back in place this should last for a while. If you cannot get some denture adhesive then try using some sugar free chewing gum, again this is for short-term only emergency measure. What ever you do, do not use super glue this can be very dangerous.

4. I have a denture and as I was cleaning it, I dropped it and it is in two pieces, I cannot go without my teeth what can I do?

A. You will need to look up Dental Technicians in your telephone directory and then ring around and see if any denture laboratory can repair your denture. Most of the laboratories should be able to repair your denture while you wait, or you can contact your dentist for some advise. Do not attempt to stick the denture together with superglue as this can damage the denture. For future reference it is always a good idea to fill the sink with water when cleaning dentures, so that if you do drop them by accident, the water will prevent them from breaking.

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