Knocked Out Teeth
When your tooth gets knocked out of its socket due to trauma it is referred to as an avulsed tooth.
What Should You Do When You Get a Tooth Knocked Out?
The most important thing you can do after a tooth gets knocked out is get to the dentist as quickly as you can. However, during the time in between the accident and the dentist, it’s vital to avoid damaging the tooth even more.
Here are some suggestions to help improve your chances of saving your tooth:
- Pick up the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface) not the root. Locate the tooth immediately; don’t leave it at the site of the accident. Handle the tooth carefully when you pick it up, and never touch the root of the tooth, only the crown.
- If dirty, gently rinse the tooth with water. Use only water to gently rinse off any dirt. do not use soap or chemicals. Don’t scrub or dry the tooth, and don’t wrap the tooth in a tissue or cloth.
- Reposition the tooth in the socket immediately, if possible. Try to put the tooth back into its socket right away. Gently push it in with your fingers, by handling the crown, or position it above the socket and close your mouth slowly. Hold the tooth in place with your fingers or by gently biting down on it.
- Keep the tooth moist at all times. The tooth must stay moist at all times, either in your mouth or, if it can’t be replaced in the socket, put it in milk, in your mouth next to your cheek, or in an emergency preservation kit. Don’t use regular tap water; root surface cells can’t tolerate that for extended periods of time.
- See a dentist within 30 minutes of the injury. Bring the tooth with you to your emergency appointment. It’s best to see the doctor within 30 minutes; however, it is possible to save a tooth even if it has been outside the mouth for an hour or more.
Any time your tooth is fully intact (not broken into pieces), it’s always a good idea to try to save it.
