In the unfortunate event that you have knocked out a tooth, there is still a good chance that the tooth can be replanted successfully, especially if you see a dentist straight away. At HBA Dental, we understand that a knocked-out tooth can be very stressful and often happens at very inconvenient times, which is why all of our Dentists have after-hours phone numbers that you can contact them on for on-the-spot advice.
WHAT TO DO?
Treating a knocked-out adult tooth is quite different to treating a baby tooth. Please read the below tips to find out how to deal with both situations.
Adult Tooth – fully in-tact
Find the tooth and hold it by the enamel (smooth white part).
If it is dirty, rinse it quickly with milk, your saliva or even saline solution (such as contact lens solution). Just a few seconds is enough.
If possible, while holding the enamel of the tooth, replant the tooth into the socket and bite firmly on a towel or handkerchief.
If you can’t replant the tooth, seal it in a container with milk or your own saliva.
Seek immediate dental treatment.
Adult Tooth – broken
If the tooth is broken, seal it in a container with milk or your own saliva and contact your dentist for advice and immediate dental treatment.
Baby Tooth
Do not put the tooth back in! This is quite important as it can damage the permanent tooth underneath or cause the baby tooth to fuse into the socket which is likely to cause problems later on.
Contact your dentist for advice or seek emergency care at your local hospital.