Superior oral hygiene is very important for smooth and white teeth. A perfectly customized smile can be achieved with regular brushing and flossing. However, there are times when a tooth loosens or comes out due to an injury or accident. If you have the need to take off a tooth gem, here are some basic tips that would help you.
We have all been there, whether you are out hiking and get a rock to the face or if you are at work and drop your pen on the floor. Whatever the case might be your tooth gem is stuck on there and will not come off. This can make it very difficult to speak and drink something as fun as a milkshake. The question is how will you get your tooth gem off?
Table of Contents
Get the materials you need.
A tooth gem is a small jewel placed on the front of a tooth. It’s one of the latest trends in cosmetic dentistry, and it requires no drilling or anesthesia to apply. The jewel is affixed with special dental adhesive, and when you’re ready to take it off, it can be easily removed with the same materials that were used to place it on your tooth.
Get the materials you need.
To make sure you have everything you’ll need to remove your tooth gem, contact your dentist and ask them what type of materials they used to place it on your tooth. In most cases, they will tell you that they used an acrylic resin to attach the gem.
Ask them if they have any extra material available or if they have any suggestions for where you can purchase some online or in person. If they can’t help you, search online for “acrylic resin” and look for a product that’s safe for use in dentistry.
If your dentist can’t help you find some acrylic resin, try contacting a local dental laboratory or orthodontist’s office and ask if they carry some in stock. Most major cities have at least one laboratory that does dental work for local dentists.
Clean the area you plan to work in.
Tooth gems are a fabulous way to add some sparkle to your grin. They’re also an easy way to get the benefits of teeth whitening without having to spend the extra cash at your dentist’s office.
Removing your tooth gem is much easier than applying one, which requires a trip to the local dental office. In fact, you can take off a tooth gem at home in just a few minutes with some common household products.
Here’s how:
Clean the area you plan to work in. Clear clutter and get rid of any food or drink that might make it difficult to see what you’re doing.
Remove any jewelry or clothing that could get caught on your tooth while you’re working.
Soak your tooth gem in a denture soaking tablet for five minutes. This will soften the adhesive holding it in place on your tooth so you can easily remove it later.
Prepare yourself for the mess.
You’ll need a towel, plenty of alcohol and a toothpick to keep your hands clean.
Here’s how to remove a tooth gem at home:
1. Gently rip off the paper backing.
2. Soak the tooth pick in the alcohol. (I recommend using vodka.)
3. Stick it into the hole and gently pull out the tooth gem.**
4. Clean off your hands with a damp towel and finally remove all traces of the alcohol and tooth gems with soap and water.
Open and get ready to use the professional tools.
- Open and get ready to use the professional tools.
- Place the dental floss and tweezers on a flat surface.
- Lift a small amount of the floss from the spool with your dominant hand.
- Hold the ends of the floss with your non-dominant thumb and index finger. Pull on both ends of the floss to detach it from the spool.
- Roll the open end of a tooth gem kit between your fingers in your dominant hand.
- This will cause the professional grade adhesive inside to harden. You do not want to use this adhesive because it will not remove easily if you change your mind later on.
- Remove one jewel from its plastic bag with your non-dominant hand.
- Pull the jewel out by grasping it with your thumb and index finger. Set it down on a clean surface without touching it with your hands.
Prepare your mouth for removal.
Prepare your mouth for removal.
- Brush teeth and rinse thoroughly.
- Wash hands, remove tooth gem from package, and set on clean flat surface.
- Remove backing (the white part) of tooth gem, making sure to only touch the adhesive side of the gem.
- With your face in a mirror, hold the gem at a 45 degree angle with the adhesive side facing your tooth. Apply gentle pressure until it feels secure on your tooth.
- Smile big!
Make sure you’re comfortable, open wide and use a mirror if needed.
There are a number of different types of tooth gems, and some will require special tools to take them out. Regardless of what type you’re using, there are steps you should take to make the process easier:
1. Make sure you’re comfortable. Many people are nervous about taking off a tooth gem, but if you’re properly equipped with a mirror and have a friend or partner helping while you do it, you should be fine.
2. Open wide. If your mouth is narrow, or if the gem is very heavy, you might have trouble getting it out this way.
3. Use a mirror or ask someone to help hold it. It’s possible that the glue used on the gem might leave some residue that can be hard to get off without the help of one or both hands (the adhesive holds quite well), so using a mirror helps prevent that from happening.
Position your body and get in place for removal.
While it’s tempting to grab your tooth gem from its tight-fitting glass container, do yourself a favor and take a deep breath. If you yank on the tooth gem too hard, you could pull the calcified part of your tooth out with it. That can cause problems for you down the road. So if you’re going to remove the gem, make sure you have a good grip before you go at it.
If you feel like you’re going to break the tooth gem in half, don’t be afraid to ask your doctor or dentist if they have a better method. They may also have some tips on how to keep the tooth gem from falling out while you’re wearing it.
Break the seal on your tooth gem.
Tooth gems are a fun way to get creative with your look, but you don’t want to be stuck with one for too long. If you need to remove yours or just want to change it out for a different color, you can easily take it off at home.
Step 1: Break the seal on your tooth gem.
Start by getting a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol. Dip the swab in the alcohol and rub it on the tooth gem until the surface is damp. The alcohol will break down the sealant that keeps the tooth gem attached to your tooth.
Step 2: Use dental floss to loosen up your tooth gem.
Add some dental floss between your teeth, right where the tooth gem sits, then gently wiggle it back and forth. This will loosen up the adhesive and make it easier to remove.
Step 3: Remove the tooth gem with tweezers.
You can then use tweezers to lift off your tooth gem and set it aside.
Step 4: Clean any excess adhesive off your teeth using baking soda and water.
Finally, use a tiny bit of baking soda mixed with water as a paste, which will help clean off any extra adhesive that’s left over from removing
Remove tooth gem with forceps, then clean up and assess damage to tooth enamel.
First thing’s first: You’ll need some forceps. Then grab your tooth gem and start trying to get a grip on it with the forceps. It may take some patience, but eventually you should be able to get one side off using this method!
Once you’ve got it removed from your tooth, use warm water (not hot!) and gently rinse out any remaining dental glue residue from around where it was attached.
Now that you’ve successfully removed that pesky tooth gem from your smile, you might be wondering what damage it has done to your enamel…
Clean up your work station and discard materials properly.
1. Clean up your work station and discard materials properly.
2. Wash hands with soap and water to remove any residue from handling the gem.
3. Set up a mirror, lamp, or bright light so you have good visibility of the gem and surrounding teeth and gums.
4. With clean hands and clean towel in hand, carefully place the tooth gem into your mouth on the tooth it was previously applied to.
5. Hold the gem in place with your thumb (not finger) against the outside of your cheek or lip for support (not finger). If you are unable to maintain a grip on the gem with one hand, try wrapping a clean towel or paper towel around your head (see images below). You may also try having an assistant hold the gem for you, or swish gently with water to dislodge it without using fingers.
6. Slowly open and close your jaw to break suction between the adhesive and gum surface until you feel it release from the tooth (may take several attempts).
7. If you are unsuccessful after several attempts, do not force removal. Have a professional remove it for you instead of risking damage to enamel or gums by force pulling it off yourself at home! If you need help finding a reputable.
