Container of Cures: What to Include in Your Dental Emergency Kit

Appropriate preventative care, like brushing and flossing twice daily, strengthens your teeth and gums so they’re more resistant to decay, disease, and other injuries. This can significantly diminish the likelihood of having a dental emergency, but unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that one won’t occur.  

In an urgent scenario, having the right supplies nearby can help you act quickly and save your smile. If you’re worried about a sudden situation, why not build a dental kit that contains everything you need? Continue reading to learn more about various helpful items to stow away!

What Should I Pack in My Dental Emergency Kit?

You can include anything in your dental emergency kit that you think will be useful if you encounter an oral issue. You can even build more than one and store them in helpful places at home, school, work, or in the car.

However, depending on the size of your container, you might have to pick and choose a few fundamental essentials to pack. Some helpful things to include are:

• Alcohol wipes. These are small and convenient and can disinfect any cuts or lacerations.
• Cotton balls. If you’re bleeding or hurt your teeth or gums, you’ll need these to help clean the area, apply topical creams or gels, or apply firm pressure to a wound.
• Dental floss. This can help remove painfully trapped objects between your teeth without injuring them.
• Dental mirror. It’s hard to see behind your teeth or in the back of your mouth to assess damage without one.
• Dental wax. Typically used to cushion the edges of sharp braces, this material can also be pressed over an injured tooth to avoid cutting the tender tissues in your mouth.
• Latex gloves. These ensure that your hands don’t introduce fresh germs to yours or someone else’s mouth during an emergency.
• Salt. Keeping packets of salt ensures that you’ll have what you need to mix a quick rinse that acts as a natural disinfectant and anti-inflammatory.
• Travel-sized toothbrush. You never know when you’ll want to freshen your breath or remove stuck food from your enamel. Thankfully, it’s easy to find mini or collapsable toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste.
• Tweezers. This instrument is specifically designed to help you firmly grasp small pieces of debris, restorations, or chipped enamel that might be difficult to remove otherwise.
• Water bottle. When you’ve been hurt, you need water to clean your mouth out as well as help you remain hydrated.

Now that you know what to put in your emergency dental kit, you’re prepared for anything!

About the Author

Dr. John Moneyhun takes pride in helping people enhance their lives by improving their dental health. He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he was also awarded the South Carolina Dental Association award for outstanding scholastic and clinical accomplishments. Now, he is committed to continuing his education through the Dawson Academy and other prestigious organizations. He utilizes state-of-the-art equipment to devise and implement individualized treatments just for you. If you’ve had an emergency and require immediate attention, you can request an appointment on the website or call (864) 800-1691.