You may wonder why replacing a tooth is necessarily at all. What’s important to understand is that a missing tooth can initiate a whole series of undesirable, even harmful, consequences. For example, your chewing habits will likely be adversely affected, and, on top of that, your other teeth may shift to fill in the gap caused by the missing tooth, leading to serious bite problems. Your options for replacing a missing tooth will depend on where the tooth gap is located. The most common reco...

For a dental emergency, you ideally want to contact your regular dentist. If that’s not possible, then contact another dentist near you. You may also want to go directly to an urgent care or an emergency room. (Check the web for locations.) If for whatever reason you can’t reach a dentist or can’t leave your location, consider the following tips for temporary help. If you have a toothache… Mix a teaspoon of salt with a cup of warm water and gently rinse your mouth with it. Bru...

In a situation where a tooth breaks or becomes fully dislodged, time is of the essence. Locate and gather the tooth (or teeth) and, even if it’s in pieces, carefully rinse it off with warm water. Next, prepare the tooth to be transported by securely placing it in milk or in a collection of your saliva. Notify your dentist of the emergency and get yourself and your tooth to the dental office as soon as possible. Depending on the severity of the accident, it’s possible that the tooth can be...