I Knocked My Tooth Out! What Should I Do?

If you knock your tooth out, you may initially be shocked. This only makes sense.     

1. Push the tooth back into the socket.

If you are able to find your tooth, your first step should be to push it back into place. Ensure that it is facing the front. Always make sure that the tooth is clean before you do this, and make sure that you do not accidentally swallow it. If you are not sure if the tooth is clean or the tooth is in the right direction, move to the next step.

2. Place the tooth into a container of milk.

If you don't feel right about pushing the tooth back into place, you can simply put the tooth into the container of milk. Let it soak in the milk as you take the next steps. Do not try to clean the tooth or use water instead of milk. You want to avoid touching the root of the tooth, not handling it at all. You might find yourself breaking necessary ligaments. 

3. Get to the dentist's office as soon as possible.

It is important that you get to the dentist within one hour. Call your dentist on the way, and if they are not able to see you immediately, you may be able to find a hospital or emergency dentist that can.

4. Take pain relievers.

You can take pain relievers to feel a bit better after your tooth has been knocked out; however, you should avoid aspirin. Aspirin may actually encourage you to bleed further.

Dentists successfully put teeth back in every day. With a splint and additional work later on, the tooth will look and feel just as it once did. In the case of a baby tooth, the dentist may not do anything with the tooth, as it would have fallen out anyway.

Of course, it is not always possible to put the same tooth back in place. For instance, you might not be able to find the tooth, or it might be cracked. In this case, you may receive an implant. The implant will look natural, just like the other teeth in your mouth. With proper care, implanted teeth can last quite a while.

Ultimately, your goal is to get to a dentist (such as Jeffrey N Kenney DDS) as quickly as possible. A longer delay makes it much more likely that the tooth will not be able to be re-implanted.


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