Dental emergencies always seem to happen when you lease expect them, causing stress and panic to build-up and ultimately impacting your ability to make the best snap-judgement decisions for your smile. Although a painful toothache or knocked-out tooth may seem like the end-all-be-all of dental emergencies, there have been much weirder, frightening situations that you’ll be glad you haven’t been through. It seems like everybody has their very own dental horror story that they lived through, but none quite so wild and unbelievable as these…
The Oral Garden
You may have been the child to pipe up and ask whether swallowing a seed would make a plant grow in your stomach during science class, causing your teacher to let out a hearty laugh. Little did the teacher know that’s not entirely impossible!
A patient scheduled a much-needed appointment after experiencing pain surrounding his gums. X-rays are taken and the dentist conducts an incredibly thorough examination, only to determine that a root canal is the only solution to take the pain away. During the procedure, the dentist discovers a small sprout of a tomato plant that had grown from a seed that got stuck between the patient’s teeth!
Not a Super Glue Idea
Despite this being an incredibly wild situation, you’d be surprised to learn just how many emergency dentists want to collect all of the super glue from their patients’ homes and light it on fire. While super glue might be able to fix a broken mug handle, it’s most definitely not recommended when patients need to repair restorations.
A patient had a dental filling that had fallen out, but fortunately, she was able to find it perfectly intact. A thought flickered through her head that made her feel confident she could save some money and just cement it back into her tooth instead of visiting the dentist. She ruffled through the junk drawer and garage in search of what she could use to fix the problem until she finally stumbled upon an old, crinkled tube of super glue. After coating the surface of the filling with far too much glue, the patient placed it back in her tooth, causing it to spill over the top and side. Not only did it glue her teeth together, but the glue got on her tongue and gums as well, requiring much more than a visit to a dentist.
Post-Digestion Dental Crown Repair
If you have a sensitive stomach, this one might not be for you. However, if you love a good story involving a dog eating something they definitely shouldn’t have, it’s perfect!
Immediately after a patient’s crown fell out, he rinsed it off, put it on the counter to dry, and called his emergency dentist who scheduled an appointment for the next day. After the call had ended, he turned around to find the crown missing and his dog licking his chops. The trick was to wait it out until the dog digested and defecated the crown.
He shows up to his dentist’s office for his appointment the following day, feeling proud and with his crown in-hand. After a quick bowel movement and rinse later, he presented the crown to his dentist so it could be placed back on his tooth!
About the Author
While Dr. Rafiq Hirji has never personally witnessed a tomato plant sprouting from a tooth, he has helped countless patients find relief from uncomfortable dental emergencies like toothaches. He has over 10 years of experience and offers same-day emergency appointments for his patients in pain. For questions or to schedule a visit, visit Daily Smiles MacArthur Dental & Orthodontics’ website or call 972-546-4114.