Denture Duty

"You can use crazy glue to replace a tooth off a denture, but that becomes more problematic because the consumer may have difficulty refitting that tooth," Sherer says. "If I were attending a wedding or had a meeting with the queen, I would crazy glue my tooth in, but if I could wait a day or so, then I would," he says. Partial dentures are mounted on a metal frame and fill a gap left by missing teeth. Complete dentures may be worn when all of the top or bottom teeth have been lost. They consist of artificial teeth mounted in a plastic base molded to fit the mouth.

Gauging Gum Pain

Over-the-counter pain-relieving gels and liquids such as Anbesol and Orajel can provide temporary relief, as can ibuprofen and other over-the-counter drugs that relieve swelling and inflammation. But "you have to get to the root of the problem, and sometimes you may have a gum infection brewing that may require antibiotics," Sherer says.

Howley agrees. "If there is swelling and bleeding around the gums, see a dentist as soon as possible because it may indicate something more serious," he says. "You may need antibiotics, or if there is an abscess, you may need to have it drained." This was exactly the case with my recent dental emergency.

The good news is that if you really need a dentist (as I did), "there are areas or facilities that you can visit over a weekend without necessarily waiting for your dentist," Sherer says. "Regional hospitals have dental residency programs and residents on calls and dental schools in the area have emergency facilities"