Having a tooth pulled at the dentist’s office is not the only way to lose one. According to The American Association of Endodontists, more than five million teeth are accidentally knocked out yearly. This number includes both children and adults. If a tooth gets knocked out, it is not lost for good. Knowing how to respond can ensure your tooth is replaced in your mouth. Knocked-out teeth can stay healthy for years to come. Read on to find out what you should do with a knocked-out tooth and when to seek out Pomona dentistry.
Don’t Touch the Root
Pick up the tooth immediately by the base, not the root. Handle it with care. Touching the root in any way can damage it. Your dentist may not be able to restore the tooth in its socket if the root is damaged.
Clean it Carefully
If the tooth has been dropped, wash it carefully with water. Do not use toothpaste or soap. Do not dry it off. Refrain from wrapping the tooth in any type of cloth or tissue.
Put it Back in Your Mouth
Putting the tooth back in its socket is the best option. The American Association of Endodontists recommends taking the following steps:
- Gently reposition the tooth in its socket using your fingers.
- Handle only the crown, not the root.
- Gently bite down to push the tooth into its socket and hold it there.
- Hold the tooth gently in its place if you need to until you reach your dentist’s office.
You should also be careful to re-implant the tooth with the correct side facing outwards. If you have a hard time with this, compare it to your other teeth.
Re-implanting the tooth is usually not painful because your gum is numb from the recent trauma. You should try to re-implant the tooth even if the crown is cracked.
Put it in a Glass of Milk
Sometimes the crown is too damaged to be re-implanted. Others, it may be too painful. Here, you should place the tooth in a small cup or Tupperware container filled with milk or saline. Many people have saline in their first-aid kits. If you don’t, milk is a great option.
Milk and saline are good options because they don’t cause the root to swell and burst as they would in water. Milk also contains proteins that keep a constant acid-to-alkaline ratio, anti-bacterial substances, as well as sugars to keep cells growing. Definitely don’t use tap water, which can damage the tooth further.
If you don’t have saline or milk, saliva is the next best option. Store the knocked-out tooth in your mouth, next to your cheek. Make sure you don’t swallow it by keeping your jaw closed.
You can store your knocked-out teeth this way for up to six hours. See a dentist within those six hours. Dental Care of Pomona is your go-to for exceptional dentistry that’s focused on you. Contact us today for your Pomona dentistry needs!
Ideally, See a Dentist Within 30 Minutes
An emergency dental appointment is necessary for a knocked-out tooth. Ideally, you should see your dentist within 30 minutes, but no longer than six hours. Bring the tooth with you to your emergency dentist appointment.
Ongoing Treatment
At Dental Care of Pomona, we will stabilize the tooth and review the situation for ongoing treatment. After the trauma and soft tissue damage heal, we will apply a root filling. If the nerves and blood vessels can’t be repaired, your dentist will perform root canal therapy.
In the future, always wear a mouthguard when playing sports to minimize knocked-out teeth.
The Good News
The good news is the ligament connecting the tooth to the bone can reform. Contact Dental Care of Pomona for emergency dental care as soon as possible. Seeking Pomona dentistry right away improves the likelihood the tooth can be restored. Once treated, your knocked-out tooth will be a healthy, normal part of your smile.
Pomona Dentistry
The staff at Dental Care of Pomona provide advanced, top-quality dentistry at reasonable prices. We specialize in implants, which are the most popular restorative dental treatment today. Dental Care of Pomona also excels in general, cosmetic, restorative, pediatric, and emergency dentistry. If you have a knocked-out tooth or need to see a dentist,
contact Dental Care of Pomona today.
