Of all the dental emergencies that you might experience, a knocked-out tooth is perhaps one of the most urgent examples. If you want to save the tooth, you will need to protect it while also making arrangements to see the dentist as soon as you can. To help make sure that you’re prepared for the worst, here are 4 steps to follow if a tooth is knocked out.
1. Call Your Dentist
A tooth can only stay viable for so long once it has been knocked out of the mouth. For the best chances of success, reimplantation should be attempted within 30 minutes of the initial trauma. As such, the first thing you should do after losing a permanent tooth is to call your dentist to set up an emergency appointment. The dental team member who answers your call may give you some advice for dealing with the situation; be sure to follow any instructions you receive as carefully as possible.
2. Locate the Tooth and Clean It Off
Find the tooth as quickly as you can. When you go to pick it up, be sure to only touch the end used for chewing; you don’t want to damage the root by mistake. Once the tooth has been located, you should run some lukewarm tap water over it in order to gently rinse away any dirt or debris that might be clinging to it. Avoid scrubbing the tooth, and be extra careful not to remove any tissues that are still attached to it.
3. Put the Tooth Somewhere Safe
You need to make sure that nothing bad happens to the tooth until you can get to the dentist’s office. In many cases, the best place to store it is in your mouth. Check to see if you can get the tooth to go back in its socket. If it fits, you can hold it in place by biting down on a piece of gauze.
In situations where the tooth won’t go back into its socket, you can also store it in the space between your gums and the inside of your cheek. Another option is to put it in a container filled with milk. The most important thing is to make sure that the tooth stays moist until you can be treated.
4. Get to the Dentist’s Office
The sooner you can see your dentist, the sooner they can try to save the tooth. Keep in mind that re-implanting the tooth might not always be possible; it may be necessary for you to get a dental bridge, a partial denture, or a dental implant to fill in the gap. Rest assured that your dentist will be there to point you in the direction of the best treatment for your smile.
About the Author
Dr. John E. Petty is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry – an accomplishment that required him to complete more than 500 hours of continuing education courses. He always strives to see his patients as soon as possible if they are dealing with a knocked-out tooth or another kind of dental emergency. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Petty at Petty Dental in Tullahoma, visit his website or call (931) 454-9499.