How to Build a Dental Emergency Kit for Your Family
dentalcare
A simple checklist for a home dental first-aid kit, plus where to keep it and when to use it, from your South Surrey family dentist.
A small, well-stocked kit can make an unexpected dental problem feel much more manageable. Here is how to put one together in about ten minutes.
Step 1: Choose a container
Pick a small, clean, sealable box or pouch. Keep it somewhere easy to reach, such as a bathroom cabinet or your car's glove box, and out of reach of young children.
Step 2: Gather the essentials
- Clean gauze pads, to press on bleeding
- A small container with a tight lid, for a knocked-out tooth
- Cold compress or reusable ice pack
- Dental floss, to remove trapped food
- Saline or salt for a gentle rinse
- Acetaminophen or ibuprofen, if your doctor or pharmacist says they are suitable for you
- Orthodontic wax, if you or your child wear braces
- Our phone number: 604-535-8835
Step 3: Add a written plan
Tuck in a card with your dentist's number, your family's health information, and your extended health or CDCP details. Our dental insurance and CDCP coverage page can help you gather what you need.
Step 4: Review it twice a year
Check expiry dates and replace anything used. A good reminder is the time of your regular cleaning visit.
Step 5: Know when to call
The kit is for short-term comfort, not treatment. Call us if you have a broken tooth, a knocked-out tooth, or ongoing pain. For the full step-by-step, see our post Dental emergency? Here's what to do.
New to our practice? Our new patient information page explains what to expect.