Many people will experience having a tooth knocked out at some point in their lives. This can be a painful and traumatic experience to endure, but the good news is that if you know what to do, it's usually possible to save the tooth and put it back where it belongs. By doing so, you can avoid needing additional procedures to have an artificial tooth put in. If you're not sure how to preserve a knocked-out tooth and need to know what to do in a hurry, read this guide.
No Cleaning
The first thing that people often want to do when a tooth is knocked out is to clean it off, but this is generally a bad idea. Teeth are very sensitive and contain living tissues. If the pH balance of the tooth is dramatically changed, by doing something like running it under clean water, or if the root of the tooth is allowed to dry out, the tooth may no longer be viable. Even if the tooth has visible dirt or blood on it, just leave that intact for now.
Preserve
You may be wondering at this point how you're supposed to prevent the tooth root from drying out if you can't run it under water. The good news is that there are two ways to handle this, and one of them may already be in your fridge.
In general, dentists recommend using a special solution that can be bought in pharmacies to save a tooth. These solutions are usually labeled as being an emergency tooth preservation kit, but if you're not sure what to look for, ask a pharmacist for assistance. This kit contains a container and fluid to put the tooth in that will keep it moist and protect its pH level until you can get help.
If stores are closed or you can't find the solution you need, milk will work in a pinch. Simple cow milk has a similar pH level to teeth, which makes it a viable way of keeping the tooth from drying out without harming it.
Get Help
All of this will be for naught if you don't get help from a dentist soon. While a tooth preservation solution can prolong the life of a knocked-out tooth, it's not a permanent thing. The tooth still needs to be put back in place as quickly as possible. The ideal resolution is to go to an emergency dentist's office. They can usually fit in patients without an appointment in advance, and are more than familiar with this kind of fix. With haste, you'll have your tooth back where it belongs and this experience will become nothing more than a memory.
If you are in need of emergency dental services, contact a dentist in your area.
Share14 March 2022
I have always brushed and flossed my teeth daily, but I still had the occasional cavity when I visited the dentist for a check-up. He told me it was normal to have a cavity on occasion and that I shouldn't let it stress me out too much. Well, I am not one to just accept any problem I am having, so I started looking into how to improve my oral hygiene even more. I had always thought mouthwash was just to improve your breath, but I found some that said they helped keep cavities away. I started using one every day before bed. I haven't had a cavity in two years now, and I think the mouth rinse is the reason! I created this blog to remind other people that even if they brush and floss regularly, they can always find ways to take even better care of their teeth.
