Five Emergency Methods To Save A Knocked-Out Tooth

September 26, 2022

Losing a tooth or even having one knocked loose may be a terrifying experience. There is probably some accident or trauma to blame, and you may have to cope with other significant injuries.

When there is enough force to knock out a permanent tooth, other oral and facial tissues, including the gums, lips, tongue, and cheeks, may also be damaged and require immediate medical attention. It may be daunting and expensive to visit the emergency department.  A trip to the emergency department may be necessary if you additionally sustained injuries to your face, throat, or eyes.

When A Permanent Tooth Is Knocked Out of Place

In the event of any more significant injuries or loss of consciousness, urgent medical attention is required. You may have more pressing concerns than just an avulsed tooth.

The emergency room doctors will X-ray your mouth and perform other diagnostic procedures to check for possible damage. In an oral or facial emergency, the hospital personnel may consult with a visiting dentist or refer you to the hospital's in-house dentist for further assessment.

Replacing a permanent tooth requires prompt action for best results. If you can, get to a dentist booked with team emergency dental within 30 minutes of the mishap. Here's what you should do if you locate the tooth:

1. Grasp the tooth by the crown, not the base.

2. Rinse a filthy tooth. Don't use soap or other chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. If you lose a tooth, don't try to clean or dry it off, and don't wrap it in a dry tissue or towel.

3. If feasible, reinsert the tooth root first. Put the tooth back into its socket by gently pushing on it and then closing your mouth. Bite down on the tooth or hold it stable with your finger to keep it from moving.

4. Keep the tooth wet until you can see a dentist or ER. When it comes to moistening the teeth, milk is your best bet. If you don't have any milk on hand, you might try holding the tooth against your cheek inside your mouth until you can get to a dentist or an emergency room.

5. Bring the tooth to the dentist's clinic. In a dental or endodontic emergency, prompt medical attention is recommended. Even if the tooth has been removed from the mouth for an hour or more, it can still be saved.

When Baby Teeth Come Out Too Early

On average, children retain their primary dentition until the age of 12. You, as a parent, are well aware of the frequency with which your children may have injuries due to slips, trips, and falls, both outside and within the house.

The permanent teeth will develop and erupt into place along the trajectories established by the baby teeth. It's crucial to visit a dentist as soon as possible if a baby tooth is knocked out before the permanent tooth has grown in and naturally pushed the baby tooth out.

Although a dentist cannot put a baby tooth back in its socket, they may recommend creating a space maintainer to prevent adjacent teeth from shifting and aid in the permanent tooth's continued placement.

How Can Teeth Become Knocked Out?

More than five million teeth are knocked out annually1, as reported by the American Academy of Endodontists (AAE). Knocking out a tooth can be caused by a wide variety of situations.
Knocked-out teeth are frequently the result of car accidents and contact sports. If the incident included a car crash, it's best to get to the emergency room and be checked out to be safe.
An emergency room visit might also be necessary after a serious injury is sustained while playing contact sports like baseball, basketball, rugby, etc. If you've no other obvious injuries, your best and cheapest treatment choice may be your neighborhood dentist's office or clinic.

How Dental Insurance Covers A Knocked-Out Tooth

There are several ways to acquire dental insurance if you do not have access to an employer-sponsored plan.

With conventional dental insurance, patients pay a monthly premium, deductibles, and copayments, but the dentist's clinic sends the bill to the insurance company.

Protecting Teeth From Being Knocked Out

It's crucial for people of all ages to take precautions against dental accidents that might result in the loss of teeth. A missing tooth might be quite embarrassing, so here are some ways to protect yourself from harm.

1. Teeth Guards

Sports-related facial trauma is a common source of tooth loss. It has been shown that mouthguards can greatly reduce the likelihood of several common sports-related injuries. To protect the teeth, lips, tongue, mouth guards are worn. They're cheap and effective at avoiding harm.

2. Helmets
Riders of bicycles, scooters, and any other open-air recreational vehicle, young and old alike, should always wear helmets. These safeguards protect against both tooth loss and brain damage.

3. Prevention of Falls
Preventing falls is quite difficult for toddlers. The greatest strategy to protect a young child's mouth from being knocked out of joint by a fall is to keep an eye on them while they start to walk. Adults and older children can avoid oral injuries from falls by using stepladders, clearing the floor of debris, using non-slip shoes, and ensuring there is enough light.

4. Safety Belts
Both adult seat belts and kid car seats have been shown to significantly reduce the likelihood of catastrophic injury in the case of a car accident, whether it be a major collision or just a little scrape. Everyone should make fastening seat belts a routine aspect of getting into a car.

5. Maintenance of Good Dental Hygiene
Adults with severe gum disease are likelier to have teeth knocked out during routine, non-injury-related activities. Teeth with advanced gum disease are more likely to fall out if you eat hard or sticky foods.

A tooth that has been loosened by gum disease might fall out in various ways, such as when you bump into a doorframe or use your teeth improperly as tools. Regular dental hygiene routines like brushing and flossing remove plaque and food particles stuck between teeth.

Permitting such things to remain on the teeth might lead to a breakdown of the supporting gum and bone tissue. When this occurs, teeth become loosened in the jaw and are readily dislodged.

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