Emergency dentistry was necessary for a woman in Yorkshire when she ate a sandwich that had a small stone inside.

Karen Addy, from Holmfirth, told the Sun that she needed to have a tooth removed after the carrot, hummus and alfalfa meal from Boots injured her mouth.

The emergency dentistry cost around £3,000 and it took over three years before she could afford to pay.

“It has been a stressful ordeal but I can finally eat apples again. I had forgotten what they tasted like,” she said.

Ms Addy, who has two children, developed an abscess after eating the pebble and had to take antibiotics to treat the problem.

US health website Medline Plus explains that a dental abscess causes severe sharp, shooting or throbbing toothache and can also lead to swelling in the neck and jaw.

Dental implants were put in to replace the broken tooth and Ms Addy, who received compensation from sandwich company Fresh Naturally Organic, also needed a bone graft.

A new gel being developed by researchers in France could help teeth to grow back and reduce the need for fillings.

The discovery may aid those who provide emergency dentistry, with scientists claiming tooth tissue can be regenerated within four weeks.

Containing a melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which has now been linked with bone growth, the gel was rubbed onto dead cells within the mouth and caused them to reactive.

Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific advisor for the British Dental Association, admitted the experiment looked promising.

However, he added it is unlikely to be helpful for people whose teeth have been badly damaged by decay.

“We will have to wait for the results to come back from clinical trials and its use will be restricted to treating small areas of dental decay,” Professor Walmsley explained.

A recent study presented at the International Association of Dental Research found men with diabetes are twice as likely to lose their teeth compared with males who do not have the disease.

Cosmetic dentistry was not necessary for an Australian rugby player who lost a tooth in a particularly vicious game this weekend.

Nathan Sharpe, who plays for the Wallabies, had the tooth knocked out by centre Jaque Fourie as he made a tackle at the game in Brisbane.

The South African, who has been playing for seven years, kicked his opponent in the mouth with the back of his boot, but Sharpe continued to play, even with the gap in his mouth.

ESPNscrum.com, part of sports media company ESPN, has described Sharpe as “outstanding” and “consistently excellent”.

Six ground staff members searched the field after full-time and were able to find the missing molar, allowing the Australian player to take it to his dentist and have it reinserted, which may have saved him the need for cosmetic dentistry such as tooth implants.

The Australian team went on to win the match 30-13, despite their captain’s injury.

Emergency dentistry information will be easily accessible with the introduction of a new app for iPhones, iPods and iPads.

It follows on from oral health website DentalOptimizer.com, which lets users to carry out risk assessments for cavities and gum problems, as well as creating an oral health profile.

Former president of the American Dental Association William Ten Pas is part of the Oregon-based company that developed the interactive website and program.

“This new dental treatment application enables consumers to have easier access to care and allows them to make better informed decisions about their health,” he said.

Patients will be talked through what dental treatments are available and tell them how to prevent common problems such as tooth and gum disease.

President and chief executive officer of Oregon Dental Service Robert Gootee said the app, which also allows patients to rate and comment on their dentists, had been launched in response to clients’ needs.

An emergency dentistry kit will go on sale in America to help with common dental problems.

The Emergency Dental Kit, produced by SciMeDent Health, contains temporary cement for lost or broken fillings, toothache drops and denture repair material.

Chief executive officer of the company Dr Jan Stahl warned that the equipment was not intended to act as a substitute for a visit to an emergency dentist.

“This kit provides safe, temporary relief until a dental visit can be scheduled,” he said.

Sports teams and school nurses like the security of having tools to deal with dental crises, the organisation has claimed, adding that many people also take their emergency dentistry kits on holiday with them or keep one at home.

A 2002 study of paediatric dental clinics found that just under half of all tooth injuries to children occurred in the home.

Dr Stahl explained that “millions” of dental emergencies occur every year at times when dentists cannot be reached.

Many children in Plymouth may find they have to go for emergency dentistry, if new figures are anything to go by.

A report from Plymouth’s NHS Oral Health Strategy has revealed that 29.1 per cent of five-year-olds suffered obvious tooth decay in 2009.

Furthermore, only 11 per cent had these decayed teeth filled, the Herald reports.

According to city healthcare experts, the problem comes as a result of poor diets and a high consumption of sugary sweets.

Dr Gill Jones, Plymouth consultant in dental public health, said many parents do not do enough to give their children’s teeth a proper clean twice a day.

“And we’ve got to get children used to coming into the dentist, giving them fluoride and brushing advice. It’s about raising awareness,” she added.

Dr Jones said that although it is fine to have some sugar at meal times, youngsters should not snack on sweet treats too much.

Earlier this week, the British Dental Health Foundation told Elle magazine that consuming too much sugar can lead to acid attacks.

Some people may require emergency dentistry because they only go for a check-up when they start to experience pain.

This is according to one expert, who said some patients are in denial about needing treatment.

Ken Schweifler wrote for the Los Angeles Town Crier that many treatable ailments, such as dental decay and periodontal disease, do not have any obvious symptoms.

However, modern technology such as X-rays means they can be detected straight away, thus avoiding the need for emergency dentistry.

“Today’s dentists are highly trained to identify problems in their earliest stages and render technically demanding treatments that conserve tooth structure and prevent tooth loss,” Mr Schweifler added.

He said that until recent technological developments, pain was the only indication of a serious dental problem.

Writing for the Daily Express, Dr Rosemary Leonard recently said that although drinking fruit juice is healthy, too much may lead to tooth decay and damage enamel.

Anxiety can mean some people end up needing emergency dentistry, it has been suggested.

Writing for the Los Angeles Town Crier, Ken Schweifler described how a negative experience in the dentist’s chair can lead to fears about going for a check-up.

However, he said this may turn into a catch-22 type of situation.

Because people are anxious about receiving treatment they do not visit the dentist on a regular basis, meaning they miss out on preventative maintenance, Mr Schweifler explained.

This leads to more serious problems and, as a result, they require emergency dentistry.

“This traumatic experience then reinforces the dental phobia,” he added. “They never experience the rewards that come with uneventful checkups and achieving dental health.”

Children also require regular check-ups and nvdaily.com recently reported that according to the American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry, youngsters should go to the dentist before they are one year old.

Parents are being told that it is a good idea to start looking after a child’s oral hygiene at birth, thus lessening the risk of needing emergency dentistry later in life.

Dental Health Magazine reports that mothers and fathers should take care of a baby’s mouth before their first tooth emerges by cleaning gums with a damp washcloth to avoid infection.

Once a youngster has their first tooth, parents are advised to use a soft, age appropriate toothbrush and water and only when a child is capable of spitting should they introduce a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste, the publication continues.

“Their most vulnerable time for infection is between 6 and 31 months. Therefore, an important part of taking care of a baby’s teeth is to take care of your own,” the news provider states.

Dr Tom Hall suggested that kids should be taken for check-ups as early as possible as it introduces them to the idea or looking after their teeth and allays worries about visiting the dentist, Pantagraph.com reported.

Mums and dads who encourage their kids to look after their teeth from an early age may be able to help them avoid having to visit an emergency dentist, it has been suggested.

Experts in the US have been pushing for parents to take their children for check-ups before they reach the age of one.

A study by the American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry warned that infants could be at risk to tooth decay and disease earlier than some might think, nvdaily.com reports.

Problems can occur for kids in the first six months as teeth emerge and if left untreated, could lead to youngsters being in pain, increased treatment costs and “consequences later in life”, the publication continues.

These comments follow advice offered by Dr Alex Brandtner who stated children that have not been brought up with a good routine and oral hygiene standards face the risk of developing gum disease.

People wanting to have a smile fit for the red carpet are being advised to reduce the amount of sugar in food and drinks or they may need to see an emergency dentist, according to one expert body.

The British Dental Health Foundation told Elle magazine that pearly write teeth sported by the likes of Cheryl Cole may have to do with taking good care of them rather than their colour.

It warned about how sugary snacks can not only cause acid attacks but also increase long-term risks to a person’s health.

The body recommended that the sweet substance should only be eaten at meal times, while an alkaline snack or even chewing gum is a good choice to “balance out the effects”.

Patients staying in Welsh hospitals have been given a helping hand to cut down by banning sugar in tea and coffee bought from vending machines, as it offers no nutritional value, regional health officials confirmed earlier this month.

People have been warned not to follow in the footsteps of celebrity Jessica Simpson who revealed she only cleans her teeth a few times a week.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, claimed that brushing is vital for avoiding the need for emergency dentistry and as such failing to maintain a routine is foolish.

“A good dental care routine can prevent most dental problems and decrease the need for treatments such as fillings and extractions,” he remarked.

Overall wellbeing can be affected by poor dental hygiene, Dr Carter stated, adding that serious conditions such as heart disease and strokes could develop if individuals do not regularly look after their mouths.

The expert’s comments followed the recent admission by Simpson on the Ellen DeGeneres show that she doesn’t brush her teeth every day, sometimes doing so only three times a week.

A recent survey by the Foundation showed that 60 per cent of Brits have no oral health problems.