What To Do If You Knock Out a Tooth

Knocking out a tooth is more common than you might think. It happens all the time with kids, and sometimes adults, especially while playing sports. While you can never predict the loss of a tooth, also called a dental avulsion, it's good to know what to do should it occur. Here are four things you need to know if you or someone else gets a tooth knocked out.

Don't Waste Precious Time

You've suddenly been hit in the face by a ball and before you realize what's happened, you're bleeding and your tooth is on the ground. The key to saving your tooth is to act quickly. Make sure you have the number of specialists in emergency dentistry Windsor Terrace programmed into your contacts. You'll need to call them and get there as soon as possible, preferably within the hour.

Retrieve the Tooth Correctly

When you pick up your tooth, it's important to never touch the root. Pick it up by the crown, or the eating surface. If there's dirt on it, rinse it gently, but avoid scrubbing. Next, if you're able to put it back into the socket, do so with care. When this isn't possible, put the tooth in a small cup of milk, or between your cheek and gum, until you get to the dentist.

Get to Your Dentist

At the dentist office, your doctor will do a thorough check to make sure the tooth is in the socket correctly. Once the tooth is placed the way it should be, the next step is to splint it to neighboring teeth to keep it in place. The tooth should begin to reattach in three or four weeks and be healed in a few months, under normal circumstances.

Follow Up With a Root Canal

When a tooth is knocked out, not only is the tooth damaged, but nerves and blood vessels are, too. Depending on the condition of the tooth and whether it's permanent, the dentist may opt to begin root canal treatment either immediately or soon after. All treatments depend on how the tooth was stored and how quickly it was placed into the socket.

Saving Your Tooth

While having a tooth knocked out isn't that uncommon of a situation, it can still be upsetting especially to kids. As long as you know how to pick it up and you get to the dentist immediately, your chances of saving the tooth are greatly increased.