Doncaster dental student shares tips for at home dental care during the pandemic

Dental care may be at the back of many people's minds at the moment but if pain strikes then it’s important to know when to call the emergency dentist and when to remedy the situation at home.

Dental student Emma Arjemandfar is a 29-year-old from Bessacar says that people should be aware of what they can do to ease tooth pain at home.

She said: “People might be scared and may not know what to do if they find themselves in a dental care issue at the moment due to fears surrounding Covid-19.

“There are 400 emergency dentists open around the county but you should call your regular dentists first to check if they are still in operation.

“If they’re not and you can’t get to an emergency dentist then as a final step you can call NHS 111.”

However Emma says that there are many non-emergency dental issues that may arise that can be temporarily fixed at home such as wisdom tooth pain, ulcers, and broken dentures.

“Wisdom tooth pain can be relieved by over the counter mouthwash such as Corsodyl,” Emma said.

“You can also use salt rinses but if you notice facial swelling or obstruction of airways you should seek further medical care.”

Emma says the increase in stress caused by the pandemic may have led to an increase in mouth ulcers - which are rarely serious should still be monitored and can be cared for at home.

She said: “If you have an ulcer then try to avoid salty and spicy foods and try to relax as much as possible.

“It helps to keep a diary to make sure that you’re monitoring any change in their size or texture.”

Emma suggests rubbing sensitive toothpaste on any small tooth chips or sharp breaks which are causing gum irritation.

She also advises people with dentures to fill their sinks when they wash them as the brittle plastic is prone to breaking.

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