Maybe you were eating your lunch and realized that you had something strange, hard, and lumpy floating around in your mouth. Perhaps you fell on your face while playing basketball. In any case, losing a dental crown is a stressful situation, and while it isn’t as urgent as a cracked or dislodged tooth, you will still need to make an appointment with your dentist to have the issue addressed. Here are some steps to take and some things to avoid while waiting for your dentist’s appointment after your crown falls out.
My Dental Crown Fell Out. What Now?
The first thing to do after losing a dental crown is to not swallow it. Whether your crown comes off when you’re eating or if it is ejected from the mouth, you should make every effort to secure it so you can take it with you to the dentist’s office. Call your dentist to make an emergency appointment and ask if they have any special instructions for you to follow until then. Your dentist may be able to reattach your crown to your tooth, but if your crown is worn down or old, it may be time to get a new one.
Your dentist may propose that you try to put the crown back in its place on your tooth. You’ll have to carefully clean the inner part of the crown with toothpaste and then temporarily stick the crown back in its position using a dental adhesive. You can purchase this sort of temporary dental cement at many pharmacies and grocery stores.
What Should I Avoid Doing After My Dental Crown Becomes Dislodged?
There are a few guidelines you should follow after losing your dental crown until you can get to the dentist’s office. These include:
- Avoid eating anything chewy, sticky, or crunchy.
- When chewing, avoid doing so on the side of the mouth that is missing the crown.
- When you brush your teeth, do so gently.
Keeping your head about you is the best thing you can do in many stressful situations. If you remember these guidelines after losing a dental crown, you stand to keep your mouth safe and comfortable until you can have the problem addressed at the dentist’s office.
About the Author
Dr. Christina Papageorgiou earned her dental doctorate at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor before completing a General Practice Residency at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She proudly serves as a member of the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the Metropolitan District Dental Society, and the Massachusetts Dental Society. Her office in Natick, MA offers family, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. If your dental crown has fallen out, dial (508) 545-1126 or contact her office online.