What To Do If A Tooth Gets Knocked Out

What To Do If A Tooth Gets Knocked Out – Tips & Advice To Save Your Tooth

A knocked-out tooth is one of the most serious dental emergencies you can experience, and can be caused by a slip and fall, a hard hit in a contact sport, and a wide variety of other accidents.

If you want to restore your tooth, it’s really important to know what steps to take to maximize the chances of saving your tooth after it’s been knocked out. Follow these steps from North Park Dental to get the help you need after your tooth has been knocked out.

1. Recover The Tooth And Rinse It Off 

If your tooth has been knocked out and fallen onto the ground, it could pick up dirt, dust, and other contaminants. It’s a good idea to recover it and rinse it off. Grab the tooth by the top (crown) rather than the bottom (root). Holding the tooth by the bottom can damage the delicate nerves and other structures of the tooth.

Then, rinse it off using lukewarm water to remove any visible debris. Do not use soap or any other substance to clean the tooth. Use only water, and rinse the tooth until it looks clean. 

2. Put The Tooth Into A Container Of Cold Milk Or Back Into The Socket

Next, you need to keep your tooth moist. If the tooth dries out, it will die and Dr. Munoz will not be able to replace it. To keep it moist, you can either put it back into the now-empty socket, or you can put it in a small container or baggie of cold milk.

Either way, make sure to get the tooth moist as soon as you can. This maximizes the chance that Dr. Munoz will be able to save it.

3. Call North Park Dental ASAP – You Need To Get Care In 1-2 Hours 

To save your tooth, it must ideally be replaced within 1 hour, or 2 hours at most. The tooth will die if it spends too much time outside of your mouth, and it will not be replaceable. 

So time is of the essence if you want to save your natural tooth. Call North Park Dental at (956) 997-4044 and tell us about your situation. We will schedule your same-day appointment as soon as we can.

4. Take Steps To Deal With Pain, Bleeding & Discomfort

If you’ve got time before your appointment at our office, you can take medicine like ibuprofen or naproxen to help with your pain and discomfort. If your mouth is bleeding, you can bite down on a clean paper towel or a piece of gauze to absorb the blood. Applying an ice pack to the outside of your mouth can also help with pain and swelling.

5. Get Help From Dr. Munoz & Restore Your Tooth 

Once you come to our office, Dr. Munoz will determine whether or not your tooth can be saved. If your tooth can be saved, he will carefully replace it in the socket, and then splint it to the nearby teeth. This splint holds the tooth in place, and allows the support structures of the tooth to heal and re-attach to your gums.

Be Prepared For A Knocked-Out Tooth – Know What To Do!

While knocked-out teeth are fairly uncommon, they are among the most serious dental emergencies, and it’s important to know what to do in order to save your tooth. 

Dr. Ricardo Munoz offers same-day emergency appointments in McAllen, so our team is always here to help when you need us the most. If you think you need immediate dental care, just contact us now at (956) 997-4044 to discuss your issue and schedule an emergency appointment.