Trying To Save A Tooth After It Gets Knocked Out Of Your Mouth
If you have just had a tooth fall out due to a sports injury, fall, or from biting down on hard food, you will want to act fast in getting to a dentist or emergency room in an attempt to have it re-implanted into your mouth. Placing the tooth back into its spot is not always possible, but it makes sense to get to the proper facility fast if there is a chance. Here are some instructions to follow before and during your trip to get help.
Try Replacing
As soon as the tooth falls from your mouth, try to place it back in the socket where it was located. Rinse the tooth quickly in milk or water, but do not scrape or scrub the tooth or you may cause the periodontal ligament tissues needed to reinsert it to deteriorate. Make sure you place it in the hole in your gum in the proper direction. To keep it in place, bite down on a wet piece of gauze or a teabag. Do not attempt to talk or move your mouth around, so you do not have the tooth fall from the socket again. Be very careful not to swallow your tooth!
Handle Properly
If you cannot reinsert the tooth on your own, transport it to the dentist or emergency room in a clean container with some milk or saliva. This helps to keep the root alive while you are in transit, making it more favorable for possible broken tooth repair. You can also put the tooth between your lower gum and lower lip or underneath your tongue to help keep it moist. Never wrap your tooth in a napkin or paper towel, as these will dry out the periodontal ligament tissues, making it impossible to replace the tooth as a result. Hold the tooth by the biting edge, not the gum edge, when you are moving it into a container to keep the tissues in tact, as well.
Ease Pain
While you are waiting to be seen, you will most likely be experiencing pain in your gum area. To alleviate this, use a cold compress to bite down on or hold against the area where the tooth has fallen out. If you are biting down on gauze to keep the tooth in place, hold the compress to the outside of your face to help numb the area a little, helping to relieve some of the pain.