FILLINGS, which are materials used to fill cavities in the teeth, and crowns, which slip over and cover the tops of damaged teeth, sometimes loosen and fall out.

This is rarely an emergency, but it can be painful because the exposed tooth tissue is often sensitive to pressure, air or hot and cold temperatures.

In some cases, a filling or crown may come loose because decay has developed underneath it. The decay can cause the tooth to change shape and, as a result, the crown or filling no longer fits the tooth properly.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

You may be eating or biting on something hard when you discover that a filling or a crown has become loose or fallen out. You may feel the lost filling or crown in your mouth.

If it’s a crown, put it in a safe place and make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as you can. You don’t want to wait too long because the tooth will be weak and could be damaged more if it is not protected by the crown.

Also, when a crown is missing for a long time, your teeth may move. If this happens your crown may no longer fit.

If the tooth is sensitive and you can’t get to your dentist right away, here’s what you can do:

1. If you can reach the sensitive area, apply a little clove oil with a cotton swab. It works well to dull tooth pain. You can buy clove oil in pharmacies and also in the spice aisle of many supermarkets.

2. If you have the crown, you may be able to slip it back over the tooth. Before you do that, it’s important to clean the inside of the crown as best you can. To hold it in place temporarily, coat the inner surface of the crown with tooth “cement”, which you can buy in the dental section of your pharmacy.

There are several temporary cements available; some need to be mixed while others come ready to use. You also can use denture adhesive or even petroleum jelly if nothing else is available.

These aren’t permanent solutions, but they will help to hold the crown in place until you can see your dentist. You should not use any household glues to hold the crown in place. These products are not safe to put in your mouth and can damage the tooth and crown.

3. If you’ve lost the filling or crown, you can use over-the-counter dental cement to cover the tooth surface. This will help to protect and seal the area until you’re able to see your dentist, and can make you more comfortable.

WHAT YOUR DENTIST WILL DO

If the tooth is structurally sound and the crown still fits properly, your dentist will clean the area and then replace the crown.

If the tooth has been affected by decay, your dentist will need to prepare the tooth again by removing the decay and then making a new filling or crown to replace the old one.

Dr Sharon Robinson DDS has offices at the Dental Place Cosmetix Spa located at Shop #5, Winchester Business Centre, 15 Hope Road, Kingston 10. Dr Robinson is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Technology, Jamaica, School of Oral Health Sciences. She may be contacted at 630-4710 or visit the websitewww.dentalplace4u.com