Jaw-Dropping Dental Disasters: The Most Unusual Emergencies Ever

Dental emergencies are often stressful, but some are so strange they seem almost unbelievable. From unexpected objects lodged in teeth to bizarre accidents, dentists have seen it all. Continue reading to see some of the weirdest dental emergencies that dentists have ever had to deal with.

Plug in the Palate

A man stumbled into his dentist’s office, complaining about the pain at the roof of his mouth. After an examination, his dentist found one of the most severe infections they had ever seen. After asking about it, the man revealed that he had discovered the hole weeks ago.

After consideration, he decided that he’d take care of it himself by stuffing it with tissues. The combination of the damp tissue paper, excessive bacteria, and poor oral hygiene left him incredibly ill. The moral of the story? See your dentist at the first chance you get if you find something strange in your mouth!

Using Glue without a Clue

This is an example of why it’s so important to see your dentist when a crown or other restoration falls out. A frantic woman visited her dentist after attempting to superglue her crown back into place. However, she didn’t account for how much it would leak! This caused her crown to stick to the wrong teeth. In addition, she got toxic glue all over her throat and the roof of her mouth.

A Bit of Gardening

Have you ever had something stuck in your gums? It can be annoying and painful, so if you can’t safely get it out yourself, call your dentist. Here’s an example of why:

A patient scheduled an appointment to see his dentist because of a throbbing toothache and chronic gum pain. After a thorough examination, his dentist concluded that the only way to fix the issue was with a root canal. Once the procedure began, however, the results were a shock. Instead of a buildup of plaque, the dentist found a tiny sprouting tomato plant! The patient has gotten one lodged into his gums and it started to grow.

A Bridge Too Far

Many dental emergencies can be prevented simply by brushing, flossing, and taking care of your oral health. Most dentists see decay and tartar on a regular basis, but this next tale takes the crown for the worst!

The patient came to see their dentist after failing to remove some stuck-on tartar that was getting too thick. After looking in their mouth, the dentist found that the built-up tartar and plaque was forming a solid piece.

This is called a calculus bridge, and in this case, it was stretched across their entire bottom arch. By the time the patient came in for help, however, many of the teeth had fallen out due to aggressive brushing. As it turns out, the calculus bridge was the only thing holding the teeth in place!

Dentists are prepared to handle a wide range of emergencies, even the strange and unexpected ones. So, if you ever find yourself in a weird dental situation, remember that help is just a phone call away! Don’t try to fix the issue yourself. As you can see, it rarely yields good results.

About the Author

If you’re suffering from a dental emergency in West Hartford, Dr. Ukti Phadnis can help. She has a dental doctorate from the UConn School of Dental Medicine and has completed advanced courses in multiple dentistry disciplines. She enjoys helping her patients relieve their pain so they can get back to living their lives. Call (860) 236-4249 to schedule an appointment at West Hartford Dental Group or visit the website to explore other services they provide.