Accidents occur, and knowing how to act when one happens can be the difference between saving and losing your knocked-out or avulsed tooth. This is arguably one of the most severe dental emergencies for adult teeth. When your tooth is knocked-out, the blood vessels, the nerves as well as supporting tissues also suffer damage. Because the blood vessels and nerves cannot be repaired, your emergency dentist will perform a root canal. You should get to the emergency dentist as soon as possible when your tooth has been knocked-out. Additionally, there are a few important measures you could do before reaching the dental clinic to avoid destroying the tooth even more and enhance the prospects of saving your avulsed tooth.
Pick up the knocked-out tooth by the chewing surface or the crown and not the root
Find the tooth immediately. Don't leave it at the scene of the accident. Touch only the chewing surface not the part that was underneath the gum or else it may be damaged easily.
If the tooth is dirty, rinse it
Hold the tooth by the crown or upper part, and rinse it using water or milk.
- Don't use soap or chemicals
- Don't wipe it off using a shirt, tissue or washcloth
- Don't air dry the tooth
Make sure you don't touch the lower part of the tooth (also known as the root section) to reduce possible damage.
Slip the tooth back inside the socket immediately
The sooner you reposition the tooth, the higher the prospect it will survive. To reposition, carefully shove the tooth back into the socket using your fingers and try close your mouth. The root should be reattached to the socket while the crown should be facing upwards as the chewing surface. Using your fingers, hold the tooth in position or gently bite down on it. If the tooth fails to go back into position effortlessly and without pressure, don't force it.
Keep the tooth saturated or moist
This is an alternative when the tooth fails to slip back inside the socket. Simply, drop the tooth in a glass of milk or water. If you're unable to do this, reinsert the tooth inside your mouth, between your gum and cheek without swallowing it. The essence here is to keep the tooth moist before you reach at the dental clinic.
The above-mentioned measures can help you save your knocked-out adult teeth as you make your way to an emergency dentist.
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