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Portuguese Prepper

Emergency Dental Kits: How to fix a broken tooth when the dentist is gone

Of all the medical issues you can face in a collapse, a toothache is the most debilitating. The pain is psychological as well as physical; it prevents you from eating, sleeping, or focusing on survival tasks.

If you lose a filling or crack a crown while the grid is down, you cannot wait for an appointment. You need a way to seal the exposed nerve immediately.
Fortunately, “Temporary Filling Material” is cheap, shelf-stable, and easy to use.


Exposed nerves cause excruciating pain when air hits them.

Temporary fillings (Zinc Oxide) harden like cement in saliva.

Clove Oil (Eugenol) is a natural anesthetic used by dentists.

The “Pothole Filler”: Dentemp

Dentemp (and similar brands like DenTek) is essentially “spackle” for your teeth. It is a putty that you push into the hole where your filling used to be.

How it works: You roll a small ball of the material, press it into the cavity, and bite down. The moisture in your mouth turns the putty into a hard, chalk-like cement. It protects the nerve from air and food, instantly reducing pain. It can last for 2–4 weeks until you can find professional help.

The “Nerve Number”: Oil of Cloves

If the tooth is not broken but is throbbing with infection or decay, you need Eugenol (Oil of Cloves). This is the active ingredient in the “Red Cross Toothache Kit.”

It is a powerful antiseptic and anesthetic. Dipping a small cotton pellet in Clove Oil and placing it directly on the gum or in the cavity will numb the area almost instantly. It burns at first, but the relief follows quickly.

Which kit belongs in your bathroom?

Best Filling Repair: Dentemp

The industry standard. Repairs lost fillings and re-cements loose crowns. One tiny pot provides 12+ repairs. Mandatory for every prepper.

Best Pain Relief: Red Cross Kit

Contains 85% Eugenol (Clove Oil). Includes tweezers and cotton pellets. The only thing that stops deep nerve pain.

Required Tool: Dental Mirror

You cannot fix what you cannot see. A cheap dental mirror allows you to inspect your own molars to find the crack.

The “Extraction” Warning

Do not attempt to pull your own tooth unless it is already extremely loose or you are facing septic shock (systemic infection). Without X-rays, you risk breaking the root tip off inside the jawbone, which causes a life-threatening infection. Use antibiotics and filling material to buy time.

Related pages

Emergency Antibiotics

A tooth abscess is a bacterial infection. You need Amoxicillin to stop it spreading.

First Aid Checklist

Add “Ibuprofen” (Advil) to your kit. It reduces dental inflammation better than Tylenol.

Hygiene Wipes

Keep your hands clean before putting them in your mouth.

Back to Medical Hub
See Antibiotics

Medical Disclaimer: We are not dentists. This information is for emergency survival situations only. See a dentist immediately if possible.