HOW TO SAVE A KNOCKED-OUT TOOTH

Having a tooth knocked out can be scary and painful but if you keep a cool head and follow some very basic first aid steps, your tooth can easily be set back into your mouth to heal naturally. Learning the simple technique below could be the difference between saving your natural smile and needing costly dental treatment so it pays to pay attention!

We typically think of traumatic dental injuries happening in contact sports or barroom brawls but in truth, it could happen to any of us. Tripping and bashing your mouth, using your teeth as a tool to open containers or being accidentally headbutted by a cute toddler are all surprisingly common ways of getting a tooth knocked out.

Regardless of the reason, if one of your teeth is knocked loose, follow these steps to give yourself the best chance of a quick recovery:

1 – Holding your tooth correctly

Make sure you pick the tooth up by the crown, that’s the enamel-covered area that we usually see in our mouths. The root is usually hidden in the gums where its sensitive fibres are protected, take care not to touch this area as it can easily be damaged which would prevent healing.

2 – Clean the knocked-out tooth safely

Don’t scrub the tooth! The safest thing to do is lick the tooth clean, coating it in your saliva. If it’s really dirty and you don’t want to do that, you can get away with rinsing it carefully in long-life milk or a salt-water. Don’t use tap water or mouth wash.

3 – See if the tooth will go back in the socket

If it’s not too painful, try to ease the tooth back into place and gently bite down on a clean piece of cloth so it moves back into position.

4 – If your tooth doesn’t go back in the socket, store it properly

If you have a Dr Denti Dental First Aid Kit, spit some saliva into your tooth container and gently seal the tooth inside. If you don’t have a tooth container to hand, make do with a clean plastic bag or keep the tooth in your mouth so it stays moist.

5 – Get to a dentist ASAP

That’s it! If your tooth is back in place, your dentist or A&E department can assess its position and check everything is ok. If it’s not in place they’ll see if it can be put back or discuss alternative steps to take.

Knocked out baby teeth

If a baby tooth has been knocked out, you should avoid putting it back as any resulting infection could damage the adult dentition underneath. Take the child to see a dentist as soon as possible, the dentist will check to make sure there’s no additional damage or clean-up work to be done so the adult tooth can come through when ready.

Dental trauma can strike when we least expect it, so it pays to be prepared. Learning the correct procedure to follow is incredibly important but having the right medical materials can make a massive difference. Making sure you have a good quality, fully stocked Dental First Aid Kit to hand can make the difference between losing a permanent tooth or saving your smile. Order yourself a Dr Denti First Aid Kit today and you’ll have everything you need to deal with minor injuries, fillings or even loose crowns all in one handy tin.

For more information on Dr Denti Home Use products, email our team at info@gapdental.com or call us on 01474 560 618.