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

[LittleBoyJuly2020]

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

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?

@Bellesboo2 Thank you for the reassuramce I'm looking forward to getting it sorted!

I'm really pleased with the kit from Amazon, seems to have worked really well and it came with hundreds of the little balls and I needed about 3 for the chip so they should last me until the dentists are back up and running.

I have no pain so I guess that's a good sign

It probably wont be infected as it's not a hole like cavity like a molar. I would say that when you eventually get it fixed, avoid eating hard food on it, as it will fall off like a regular filling. Mine last 5 or so years at a time or longer

I also fell on my face a couple of years ago and smashed my front tooth. It needed a root canal and also did a composite build up. But i did have pain so exposed roots. I’d certainly call 111 and get advice, especially if you’ve put superglue on it.
But now, you can’t even tell. Tooth is a slightly different colour, but I had a slight cross over in my 2 front teeth which is now gone... so silver linings

Have you actually phoned a dentist? Because to do a composite repair on an upper tooth will not need any use of suction, and suction is the reason most dentists are not operating.

You may find there is a dentist who will sort you out.

@ChristmasFluff I did call 111 but they told me I would not be seen unless in pain.

I bought a tooth repair kit from Amazon which has worked wonders. If I get any pain I will call 111 again, but otherwise I think I'll have to wait until things are more normal. Luckily the kit will last me a few months

A composite is still going to be aerosol generating.

Use of air to dry tooth. Water and suction to wash away etch. Plus if a patient coughs or gags, polishing the restoration afterwards. Theres still aerosols involved.

If theres no pain OP thats good, it means your fracture is not into pulp, and is therefore more of an aesthetic thing. If you are happy with the kit then it will be absolutly fine

The only thing i would be concerned about is sometimes teeth that have taken a knock can start to die, so keep an eye out for pain or any swelling/gumboil formation. But if its not into pulp, and it hasnt moved position the chances are small

Please consider contacting a dentist over phone with pictures. It may depend on whether the nerve is exposed as to whether you need a root canal.

But it probably doesn’t need to be done today if not in pain and no other issues (I did something by similar and I think I had treatment a couple of days after)

No root canals can be done at all at the moment sadly, it really is just antibiotics or extraction

What kit did you get @LittleBoyJuly2020 I have done similar, lost the composite filling that is around half of one of my front teeth the other day, it was probably due for replacement anyway but it looks AWFUL and maketh me lithp! It's also really bloody sharp!

@WiddlinDiddlin I got this -

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LXR45ZD/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_KxhPEbEJ0KZDD?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

If the link doesn't work, it's called 'CREADENT Kit' and costs £14.90 ...It's obviously not ideal but it does the job for now and that's the main thing. Plus you get so many of the little balls and because it's just a chip and not a whole tooth, the kit will last ages x

@ChristmasFluff that's absolutely 100% not true.

I hope everyone realises that the reason we have no dental care currently is because of this government's failing in keeping an adequate stockpile of PPE, and then further failings in responding quickly enough to the pandemic, and then even further failings in securing more PPE/responding to U.K. companies offering to make PPE. So this means we have virtually no dental care (for how long will this go on?) and our NHS staff are having to work without adequate protection. It's a fucking disgrace and I hope you are all contacting your MPs to make your opinions on this matter clear, and will be taking these failings into consideration when you next vote. I for one will he wanting to know exactly what the next government will be doing to enemies we are fully prepared going forward.

Sorry for the angry rant. But I AM fucking angry and really worried.

no dentist will see you right now for that, just hold on it'll be able to be fixed

Just knock all of your teeth out, get da husband (dh) to just hit them with a hammer. i had also lost a tooth so i knocked out all of mine

@MiniMum97 I totally understand your rant. It is shocking it really is

@Willnesquareheadlol Thank you for the tip but I'm going to try and keep the rest of my teeth because I quite like them and they serve a good purpose!

As a dentist, I'd like to clarify a point. It's a bit frustrating because, although it's a global pandemic and health comes first, dentistry is extremely important as well, and there hasn't been much in the way of a formal statement to the press, hence a lot of misinformation and rumours.

No general dental practices, private or NHS are currently open. We are deemed very high risk for transmitting the virus due to the nature of the work we undertake- namely aerosol droplets in the air from 3in 1 air/water spray, drills and scalers. We will be the LAST healthcare service that will go back to normal. And there will be a trail of destruction to deal with.
Our current remit from our health boards and chief dental officers of all four U.K. regions is -Advice analgesics and antibiotics. Literally that is all we can do. If something doesn't clear with a first course of antibiotics we have to offer a second. Crazy times.

If after a second course hasn't worked and an infection is tracking greater across a face, possibly affecting airways etc, or there is a very very serious emergency such as bleeding that won't stop, or serious facial/oral trauma, or extreme severe pain that won't be relieved by painkillers, we can refer to a central hub.
These have been set up in most regions, and the staff are provided with enhanced PPE and training in order to deal with the most severe cases. Most likely extractions would be the preferred treatment rather than an aerosol generating drill procedure.
The problem as I see it is although most hubs are now in place, not all of them have the protective PPE yet, so it's a lottery whether you will get seen straight away.

OP the creadent stuff is quite good. I've recommended it to a few people already. And wearing your retainer will help as well. Hope the fracture isn't too big. The bigger it is the more complicated it will be.

So if you look at remaining tooth and see bleeding/redness it's likely that the crack has gone into the nerve and will likely become sensitive/Nerf root canal treatment at some point. If the crack is more superficial and the remaining tooth just appears white, then this will probably be easily repaired after lockdown. Keep it really clean and use copious fluoride toothpaste around it, possibly something like sensodyne will help to prevent sensitivity.

@stiffchain Thank you SO much for that post. It was so informative and valuable, I really really appreciate it.
Would you suggest I buy some more Creadent now just so I know I have enough? Especially since dentistry will be the last thing to return to normal.

I will get some Sensodyne and start using that asap.

I would say I've lost 1/4 of the toothand I've noticed it does feel a little sensitive tonight. Would you advise avoiding sugar as much as possible?

Thank you again

Yes. I'd advise ordering some more. Just in case it goes out of stock. And avoid sugar as well if you can. Keep well x

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/apr/22/uk-government-accused-of-cover-up-over-eu-scheme-to-buy-ppe

Absolute fuckers, putting politics ahead of health of UK citizens and their own healthcare workers.

To help our dental (and general) health as much as possible during this time, we have:

• obviously being rigorous with normal dental hygiene - electric toothbrushes, floss, tepes
• ordered a water flosser - not sure if this will help in addition to the above, but what the hell. My husband has red and swollen gums in one section and the above plus corsodyl etc isn't helping (had advice from dentist and hygienist) we are hoping this will help get under the gumline a little.
• Avoiding sugar
• Bought xylitol gum which we are chewing after every meal (if you don't know xylitol kills the bad bacteria in your mouth (mutans?) - I think it suffocate the buggers - that cause cavities and gum disease).
• swilling oral probiotics
• trying to eat as healthily as possible
• drinking plenty of water
• trying to get plenty of sleep.

As you can see I am pretty terrified by this lack of access to dental care. I also have had problems with gum disease in the past which I keep on top of by regular hygienist visits, I have some underlying health conditions which mean that I am more prone to gum disease plus on top of this am terrified about catching C19 and ending up on a ventilator plus not being able to access normal healthcare if needed. Fed up now with feeling scared all the time.

@LittleBoyJuly2020 Thankyou! I'd never heard of that before, really useful, I've ordered some!