Knocked Out Tooth: What Should You Do?

Dental emergencies can be disruptive, painful and quite frightening, especially when they involve a knocked out tooth. If you have suffered a dental-related accident, you should get to a dentist as soon as possible. However, there are also some immediate steps you can take to increase your chances of saving the tooth. Yes, it is possible to save your tooth even if it was completely avulsed or knocked out. Follow these steps after your mouth injury:

Call your dentist immediately

It is important to find a dentist, such as Mitzi Morris, DMD that offers emergency dental care. Getting to the dentist within 30 minutes can be the difference between saving or losing a tooth. While it may be tempting to go to the ER, they are not properly equipped to treat dental injuries. Unless your have severe bleeding or lacerations in your lip, cheeks or gum, head to the dentist instead of the hospital.

Handle with Care

There is a specific way you should hold the tooth that was knocked out. Try to handle it by the crown instead of the root, as you need to preserve the delicate cells of the root to promote bone reattachment.

Gently Clean

There is a large possibility that your tooth fell to the ground if it was knocked out in a trauma. If so, it is best to clean it. However, don’t scrub it and don’t use anything else besides pure water. Gently rinse the tooth with water.

Keep it Moist

It is very important that you do not let your tooth dry out. If it is at all possible, place the tooth back in the socket and hold it there. However, this may be difficult for children. You can also immerse the tooth in milk or saliva. If that is not possible, simply wrapping it in a clean, wet cloth may suffice.

Control Pain & Swelling

If you are suffering from significant pain and swelling around your mouth injury, an ice pack and ibuprofen can help alleviate your discomfort until you get to the dentist. Avoid taking aspirin.

Now that you’ve done all you can to save your tooth, it is time to let your dentist determine whether or not the tooth can be effectively reattached. At Mitzi Morris, DMD, we offer an expansive menu of restorative and cosmetic services. We will do everything we can to save your avulsed tooth. However, if other reconstructive procedures are needed, we are fully equipped to provide them. If your knocked out tooth was a sports-related injury, we are happy to provide a custom athletic mouthguard to save your smile from future trauma.