What to do
in the Event of A Dental Emergency
Knocked Out Tooth
Both adults and children are at risk of such an
incident, but with proper emergency action, a tooth that
has been entirely knocked out of its socket often can be
successfully replanted and last for years. This is great
incentive to be prepared by knowing what to do should
this happen to you or someone you know. A tooth
can begin to die within 15 to 30 minutes of impact.
Act quickly to follow these steps.
Handle the tooth by its crown and not the root.
This will minimize damage to the root.
Rinse the tooth in water to remove dirt and dust
particles, but do not use any cleaning agents like soap
or chemicals. Also do not scrub or dry the tooth
to avoid further damage. And do not wrap it in a
cloth or tissue.
If possible, reposition the tooth in its socket
immediately. The sooner the tooth can be replaced,
the greater its chances of surviving. To do so,
carefully push the tooth into its socket with your
fingers, or position above the socket and close your
mouth slowly. Try to hold the tooth in place either with
your fingers or by gently biting down.
It is very important to not let the tooth be allowed to
dry outside the mouth. If the tooth can not be
reinserted, place the tooth in milk, or a emergency
tooth preservation kit, or keep the tooth in your mouth
next to the cheek to keep moist. Your last
alternative if none of these will work, is to place the
tooth in water with a pinch of salt if possible.
Seek treatment immediately.
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