What To Do When You Knock Out a Tooth

Tooth avulsion is the term for a completely knocked-out tooth. It may occur as a result of a sports injury, fall, or motor vehicle accident. It may be possible to save the tooth if you get to the dentist’s office in time. To increase your chances of salvaging your natural tooth, you should know the following dos and don’ts. Even if your natural tooth can’t be saved, you can still get a complete smile again with implant dentistry. 

Do retrieve the tooth carefully. 

As soon as you realize your tooth is missing, look around the area for it. Pick it up by the white part only. Do not touch the root because it can easily sustain damage.  

Don’t scrub the tooth clean. 

If the tooth is dirty, your first impulse might be to scrub it clean. But this can do more harm than good. Instead, rinse it gently. Use milk if it’s available. Otherwise, use clean water. Afterward, don’t wipe the tooth with any sort of fabric. 

Do try to reinsert the tooth gently. 

You can try to reinsert the tooth into the socket. Make sure it’s facing the right way, and then gently place it in the socket. Don’t apply any pressure to force the tooth back in place. If it won’t go in, you should abandon the attempt. 

Don’t let the tooth dry out. 

If you aren’t able to reinsert the tooth in the socket, you’ll need to keep it moist. You can use a tooth preservation kit if you have one available. If not, use a cup of milk. If you have no milk, you can place the tooth in a cup of water. As a last resort, tuck the tooth inside your mouth. Hold it between your cheek and your gum, and be very careful not to bite the root. Before placing the tooth in your mouth, call the emergency dentist and let the office know you’ll be over right away with an avulsed tooth. 

Emergency dentistry in Hazlet is available at Glenwood Premier Dental, conveniently located on Bethany Road. Our dentists use cutting-edge technology that may save your natural tooth, or we can begin planning its replacement with reliable implant dentistry. You can reach our office at (732) 264-4477.