No, this isn’t something I would suggest.  I have seen patients attempt everything from scraping their teeth with instruments out of the garage to taking a crack (literally) at pulling their own teeth!  Please don’t try something like that at home - the “tooth puller” ended up in the hospital!  But, dental emergencies can happen at inopportune times, like when you’re on vacation or eating some popcorn late at night on the weekend watching a movie.  Here are some common dental crises and what you can do until you can see a trained professional.

Dislodged crowns

You don’t want to leave a dislodged crown off for any extended period of time since the teeth will start to shift within a few days, making it difficult to put the crown back on.  If the tooth isn’t sensitive and you can get to your dentist fairly quickly, leave it off and be careful.  Otherwise, use denture adhesive or temporary dental cement that can be found in many stores to adhere it to the tooth.  The important thing is to put it back on correctly.  I have seen crowns put in backwards, so be sure once it is back in place that the bite feels correct.

Displaced or avulsed (knocked out) tooth

If the tooth is displaced, try to push it back into position and get in touch with your dentist as soon as possible.  If the tooth is completely out, gently rinse it off (don’t scrub it) and put it back in place.  Yes, this won’t feel real great, but most teeth will re-implant with a high success rate if they are replaced within the first thirty minutes.  Needless to say, this is an important one to position correctly as well.  Your smile will look a lot different if the back of the tooth is facing forward!  If it is not possible to re-implant the tooth, put it under your tongue so the saliva can help preserve the tooth and its root.  The next best thing is to put it in saline or a glass of milk.  This is a situation where it is vital to contact a dentist within at least the first hour if there is much chance of replacing the tooth.

Lost filling

Often, the worst part of a lost filing or broken tooth is the sharp edge that cuts your tongue.  No matter what you tell your tongue, it will keep going over to feel the broken spot (and we think we have such good control over things).  Secondly, the tooth will often be sensitive to cold or air.  A simple way for a temporary fix is to place sugarless gum (chew it first) or soft wax into the hole to “caulk” it in.  Pharmacies often sell temporary filling materials that you can use as well.

Gum pain

Pain with your gums can often be a sign of advancing periodontal (gum) disease.  This isn’t something that will go away without treatment, but several home remedies can help to temporarily get you through.  Rinsing with hydrogen peroxide and warm water can help soothe the gums.  Many people suggest using clove oil, moist tea bags, lime juice or swishing with peppermint tea to temporarily soothe the gums as well.  Never, never, never rub aspirin on your gums.  Aspirin is an acid and will burn the gum tissue.  Yes, it will stop the pain for a little while, but then it will return even more intensely because of the burn that you now have on top of the original pain.

Do-it-yourself may be good for the handyman, but I don’t suggest it for dentistry.  All of the above treatments are short-term fixes that need professional care, but may help you out if you are in a bind.