Millions of adult teeth get knocked out of place every single year. A stray soccer ball or klutzy fall can quickly lead to a knocked-out tooth—also known as an avulsed tooth.
Do not take it lightly if your tooth has completely dislodged from your gum socket. This is a dental emergency; you need to act fast. Follow these 4 steps for the best chance to save your tooth.
#1 Call Your Emergency Dentist IMMEDIATELY
When it comes to a knocked-out tooth, time is of the essence. The quicker your tooth is properly placed back into its socket, the better the odds that you can save it. You need to move quickly—your tooth likely won’t survive after 60 minutes.
We recommend calling your dentist as soon as you’re able so that they know you have a dental emergency! Because moving fast is so important with an avulsed tooth, you want them to be prepared for your arrival.
#2 Find the Tooth & Clean It
This one is a bit of a no-brainer: if you want your tooth to be placed back in your mouth, you need to know where it is. It’s very important to only touch the crown when you handle your tooth. The crown is the part that is exposed in your mouth.
If you notice your tooth has debris on it, give it a brief and gentle rinse under tap water. Don’t overdo it or use your fingers to scrub; it’s more important that your roots stay intact rather than clean. Roots are easily damaged and are the key to making sure your tooth survives.
#3 Keep It Safe
Next, you need to keep your tooth safe until you can see your dentist. You have a few choices to protect your tooth until you arrive.
The best option is to try to place your tooth back in the gum socket. We know, this may sound weird, but it’s best if your tooth is back in its old position until you can see your dentist. To help keep it in place, GENTLY bite down on a handkerchief or cloth.
If your tooth won’t go back into position, we have two solutions:
- Place your tooth in your mouth next to your cheek, but make sure it’s secure so that you won’t accidentally swallow it!
- Store your tooth in a small container of milk, which has important nutrients to help your tooth survive.
Ultimately, the most important thing is to keep the root of your tooth moist. Do NOT place your tooth in water, even though that may seem like a good solution. Water can cause the root cells to swell and burst, making your tooth damaged beyond repair.
#4 Get to Your Dentist
You need to get to your dentist as soon as possible.
If your tooth is salvageable, your dentist will likely reimplant and splint the tooth in place. Your tooth may stay splinted for up to 8 weeks, as it takes time for the root to reattach to the bone. In some cases, a follow-up root canal may be needed.
If you need immediate help, call Life Dentistry @ 780-758-5433. You can also book an appointment here.
