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Original poster

Help! Just knocked half my front tooth out what can I do?

47 replies

LittleBoyJuly2020 · 23/04/2020 18:22

I can't believe what happened an hour ago, I was in the kitchen pottering about. Left a cupboard door open whilst doing something. Turned my head and smacked my front teeth right intovthe side of the cupboard door Sad

I have knocked just under half of my right front tooth out. I have good healthy teeth and cannot believe this has happened.

In a frantic panic, I have used a tiny bit of superglue and stuck it back on. I have also dug out my old Invisalign retainers and put the top ones on.

I literally have no idea what to do, I moved towns and have not yet signed up to a new dentist because I wasn't yet due a check up. Not that I imagine any dentists are open right now other than for serious emergencies.

Can I buy something like a stick on tooth?? I am willing to try ANYTHING.
I'm also 6 months pregnant so will any dentist even help with this when I finally get to see one?

OP posts:
Crayfishforyou · 23/04/2020 18:25

Ring or use 111 online.
If you're getting pain it will definitely be an emergency.

Jaynesworld · 23/04/2020 18:25

Try ringing around dentists as some are still doing emergencies and should offer advice. Supergluing your tooth back on probably isnt the best.

Fcukthisshit · 23/04/2020 18:26

Ring nhs 111 and they should be able to point you in the right direction. Depends on whether the nerve is exposed as to whether they’ll be able to do much with it but there’s plenty of options if worst case scenario you lose the tooth.

Yugi · 23/04/2020 18:28

Check the local dentists as advised above.

But in the meantime you can buy a product called toofy pegs which is a temporary repair kit. I got it from Amazon but I think it is supermarkets too.

Original poster
LittleBoyJuly2020 · 23/04/2020 18:29

I know supergluing it back on isn't ideal, I panicked Sad
My retainers are tooth coloured so with them on you can't see any difference. So when the chipped bit of tooth falls off I won't try and stick it back on.

OP posts:
cassgate · 23/04/2020 18:50

Nothing you can do but wait for dentist to open. You will most likely need a veneer. I did the same when I was 18. Have had a veneer ever since. Now 49. Have had it replaced 3 times now.

AvoidingRealHumans · 23/04/2020 19:15

I fell about 15 years ago and landed face first onto a kerb and broke my front tooth like you have.
The dentist did what I'm sure is called a composite bond? Where they make up the rest of the tooth.
It was colour matched with my teeth and not noticeable.
I don't have any suggestions for what to do now other than trying 111 or calling your local dentist and seeing if they have a message saying what to do in an emergency but wanted to let you know that it can be easily fixed and not to panic.

Likethebattle · 23/04/2020 19:39

You will need to wait I’m afraid. As per pp they can build onto the remaining tooth. My ex knocked out both front teeth completely when pissed (he was a stupid arse hence being an ex). He got one implant and the other one rebuilt. You wouldn’t know they were fake.

DonLewis · 23/04/2020 19:45

Aren't you supposed to out the tooth in milk? Or is that just when a whole tooth falls out?

Ohone 111. They'll know what you can do dentist wise.

Flowers
vanillandhoney · 23/04/2020 19:48

I chipped my tooth when I was about nine. I lost a third of the tooth in total. If it's just the bottom half of the tooth (eg if the roots aren't exposed) they can build on to the existing tooth.

Mine's been replaced once so far and that was 21 years ago. You'll be fine!

Roussette · 23/04/2020 19:53

How awful, feel sorry for you.

Don't want to make things worse by saying, there is no dental help you can get at all at the moment. Without full PPE they just cannot work. All masks have gone to the NHS. Dental work is the most dangerous occupation at the moment because of the aerosols they use. The Govt is trying to set up emergency centres but as I understand it, it hasn't happened yet. That was the situation as at 3 days ago, it might've changed

I have an implant, the tooth dropped out leaving a spike cutting my tongue. You will not find anything on Ebay, Amazon, toothypegs or anything anywhere because I spent hours trying. Everyone is trying to buy it, it is out of stock.

However, I managed to register on a dental suppliers company and I bought temporary dental cement. If you need more details let me know.

Original poster
LittleBoyJuly2020 · 23/04/2020 21:35

Thank you everyone, I'm over the panic now, nothing I can do so no point in stressing about it I guess Sad

I've ordered something off Amazon that might help, no harm in trying. Thankfully I have my retainers so I can at least cover it up and not feel self conscious.

Partner is reminding me it's not the end of the world and as long as baby is ok, a little chipped tooth is not worth the stress!

It does look bloody awful though!!

OP posts:
Bananacloud · 23/04/2020 21:40

As long as baby is ok?

AllergictoWerewolves · 23/04/2020 21:51

DonLewis, you would only put the tooth in milk, or a pot of your saliva, if the whole tooth including the root had been knocked out and could possibly be replanted. There's not much we can do with a chip, or portion of tooth, other than replace it by building up with composite material, covering with a veneer or providing a crown.

gah2teenagers · 23/04/2020 22:33

Certain dentists have now been cleared with full PPE etc to cover towns for emergencies. Instructions are to call your usual dentist or 111 and they will triage and point you in the right direction. We have 1 dentist for a town of 100,000 people. Good luck.

Roussette · 24/04/2020 08:57

That's very new then gah2teenagers. Maybe it just depends on where you live. There is nothing in my vicinity or there wasn't a couple of weeks ago but it really might be area dependent and mine wasn't as much of an emergency as what some are going through.

Just this week they had a chap on the telly who had been in agony for 3 weeks and couldn't get to see anyone. He'd had antibiotics,hadn't worked, and I think it needed an extraction. My idea of hell...

Sammy867 · 24/04/2020 09:07

Urgent centres have been open around 3 weeks now. The north east has been covered for weeks Via the hospital and there is now a centre in every city. (Newcastle, Durham, Teesside, Sunderland etc). However the north has always had good service provision, there are no shortage of nhs dentists, so it would depend on where you live.

DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon · 24/04/2020 11:30

There are urgent care centres, however there is still a shortage in the country and its very area dependent. They might treat you but as far as I was aware they are only doing extractions and are unlikely to do a build up.

Is it giving you pain?

If you came in with the broken fragment and it lined up well, what I would do as a dentist is stick it back on with some filling material to start with. So I actually think glueing it on and using your retainer is not a horrible idea, but I wouldnt recommend using superglue, i would use a temporary dental glue and then your retainers to hold it in place.

However if you can stand being without tooth, I think it would be a better solution to leave the fragment off, cover it with some temporary filling material and just leave it to be built up by the dentist. If you can jold onto the fracment you can get an impression done and then the fragment can be used to get a good copy.

Its not the end of the world. It might not look fantastic but its only a chipped tooth!

TexanBlueNeck · 24/04/2020 11:35

"as long as baby is ok"?

No, you still matter. That includes dental health and self esteem from cosmetic dental problems.

I really wouldn't take kindly to comments like that personally. Sort of like birth injuries or poor pain management during birth... But hey as long as baby is ok, that's fine?

No, it's not. Expect better.

Haworthia · 24/04/2020 11:39

Too right @TexanBlueNeck

I hate it when pregnant women are treated as mere vessels, and their health doesn’t matter “as long as the baby is OK”.

dottiedodah · 24/04/2020 11:59

Where we live( South Coast) The Dentist is still open for emergencies .Just not doing any check ups ATM .111 should have some help /advice for you .

Roussette · 24/04/2020 12:32

It depends what you call an emergency.

My dental practice has set out urgent and non urgent and the OP's tooth would not be classed as urgent. Nor what I have. I do understand that. There are people out there in incredible pain with absecsses that need an extraction, because antiobotics don't work...that's urgent

Original poster
LittleBoyJuly2020 · 24/04/2020 14:05

Thank you everyone for your replies! My Amazon order came, so I'm going to attempt to semi repair the chip today. They are little plastic balls that I have to melt and then mould to the remainder of the tooth.

@TexanBlueNeck Honestly he was just trying to make me feel better. I have a lovely supportive partner that is taking great care of me and the pregnancy Smile

OP posts:
MillyMollyMardy · 24/04/2020 14:42

As others have said keep the broken bit as a dentist may be able to glue it (not with superglue obviously) once they reopen.

Bellesboo2 · 24/04/2020 15:10

Oh, no! Dont worry OP. I once fell off my bike, landed face first and chipped off half of my front tooth. Its easily fixable, they bond a filling onto it that's the same colour as your own teeth and not noticeable whatsoever.