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Have you suffered an avulsed tooth? Seek urgent dental care by calling our 24/7 emergency dentist and abide by the following guidelines to reinsert the tooth as soon as possible.
An avulsed tooth is one that has been dislodged from its socket, and is considered one of the most serious dental emergencies for permanent teeth. When a tooth is knocked out of place, the nerves, blood vessels, and supporting tissues suffer irreperable damage, but the bone can reattach to the tooth if properly and quickly reinserted. With over five million avulsed teeth in children and adults every year, it’s important to be well informed and prepared in order to act quickly to save the tooth.
Step 1: Recover the tooth and handle with care.
Hold the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface) and avoid contact with the root, as it is easily damaged.
Step 2: Clean the tooth.
Gently rinse with water, but refrain from scrubbing, drying, or wrapping the avulsed tooth in a tissue or cloth. Do not use soap or other disinfecting chemicals.
Step 3: Reinsert the tooth immediately.
The sooner the tooth is replaced, the better its chances are to survive. Reinsert the tooth as soon as possible and see the nearest available dentist within 30 minutes of the incident. To do so, carefully push the tooth back into the socket with your fingers or position the tooth in the socket and close the mouth slowly. Hold the avulsed tooth in place or gently bite down to secure its position until you’re able to see a professional.
If immediate care is not an option.
If the tooth cannot be reinserted before seeing an emergency dentist, it’s important to keep it moist until it is reattached. Put the tooth in an emergency tooth preservation kit, a cup of milk, or in the mouth between the cheek and gums. Avoid storing in regular tap water, as the root surface cells won’t tolerate it for long periods of time. In a pinch, spit into a cup and keep the tooth in the saliva.