Quick Action Can Save Knocked-Out Teeth
A tooth can be knocked out either due to a sports injury or a fall/accident/blow to the mouth.
With proper emergency action, a knocked-out or “avulsed” tooth can be successfully replanted and last for many years.
The key is to act quickly, yet calmly, and follow these five simple steps:
- Pick up the tooth by the crown (chewing surface), not the root.
- If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse under water. Don’t use soap or chemicals and don’t scrub or dry the tooth, or wrap in tissue or cloth.
- Reposition the tooth in the socket immediately, if possible. The sooner the tooth is replaced, the greater its chance of survival. To reinsert, carefully push the tooth into the socket or position the tooth above the socket and close the mouth slowly. Hold the tooth in place with fingers or by gently biting down on it.
- Keep the tooth moist at all times. The tooth must not be left outside the mouth to dry. If it can’t be replaced in the socket, put it in a glass of milk or in the mouth next to the cheek. If none of these is practical, use water, preferably with a pinch of salt.
- See us at Gordon Dental Care within 30 minutes. A tooth can sometimes be saved even if it’s been outside the mouth for an hour or more, but getting professional help within 30 minutes significantly improves the odds of successful reimplantation.