Saving a Knocked Out Tooth

A tooth may seem like a lifeless bit of bone, but they are living tissue with blood vessels, nerves, and tiny microscopic ligaments. When a tooth is knocked out your immediate actions could mean the difference between saving and permanently losing it.

An avulsed, or knocked out, tooth must be handled gently to avoid risking further damage. The root in particular is very easily damaged, so it is imperative that you only hold it by the crown, the part that is visible when it is in the mouth. If the tooth is dirty, it may be rinsed off with milk rather than wiped or brushed off. In some cases, it may be possible to reinsert the tooth back into the socket. If the tooth does not slip right in, it should not be forced as this can cause damage to the tooth and surrounding soft tissues.

If the tooth cannot be reinserted, it should be immersed in milk or a cup of saliva. If neither is possible, a cup of water may be used, or adults may be able to hold the tooth between their cheek and gum. After the avulsed tooth is clean and in a wet environment, your priority should be visiting our Torrance dentist, who may be able to re-implant the tooth safely.

Because the ligaments will have to reattach to the knocked out tooth, our Torrance cosmetic dentist may provide a splint to hold the tooth in place. Once the healing process has begun, a root canal may be necessary to remove damaged nerves.

Source: Dentist Torrance

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