Holidays are supposed to be a time of rest and relaxation, and dental emergencies certainly don't figure into the equation! However, life happens, so if you find yourself losing a crown after chomping down on lollies while on holiday and you don't have access to dental care, don't worry; a lost crown is a common experience and is not a dental emergency in itself. Read on for some things you can do to stop this mishap ruining your holiday, but make sure that when you get home you go to your family dentist as soon as you can.

What to do if you swallowed the crown

Don't worry! There isn't much you can do about it now anyway, so, as long as you are not experiencing any pain, just relax and see your dentist as soon as you get home. 

Clean the crown

Gently clean the crown using a toothbrush and toothpaste, making sure you get rid of any gunk. Dry it off with a q-tip, then clean the tooth that your crown belonged to, making sure you are extra gentle; the tooth will still feel slightly sensitive, but this is perfectly normal.

Visit a chemist

Head to a chemist and look for temporary dental cement. You can use this to temporarily put the crown back on the tooth until you get the chance to see your dentist. If you aren't able to get to a chemist for whatever reason, a mix of flour and water made into a paste should work as a very temporary fix.

You want to make sure that when you attach the crown back onto the tooth that you put it on properly so that it doesn't result in discomfort. When you've placed the crown on top of the tooth, bite your teeth together as you would normally bite. If this feels comfortable, place your finger on the crown and keep it there for two minutes -- after the two minutes is up, remove any excess paste, then use floss to remove any paste between your teeth. Make sure you don't floss up and down as this could dislodge the crown; instead, floss back and forth using gentle pressure. 

Be careful what you eat

Obviously, you need to keep an eye on what you eat until you are able to see your dentist. Avoid anything that is chewy or tough; the last thing you want to do is take the crown off again!