According to the American Association of Endodontists, roughly 5 million children and adults have a tooth knocked out every year. This can be an incredibly traumatic situation to deal with, so you may not know what you should do if it occurs. Your first inclination may be to try and put the tooth back into your mouth. Not only is this a good idea, but it can actually buy you some time until you get to an emergency dentist! Learn why and the best tips to keep in mind when handling a knocked-out tooth.
Can a Knocked-Out Tooth Be Placed Back Into the Mouth?
The short answer is yes. Even though the blood vessels and nerves cannot be repaired once a tooth is knocked out, that does not mean the tooth can’t be reimplanted. By placing the tooth back into the open socket, you can keep the tooth moist as well as start the process of the tooth reintegrating with the mouth’s alveolar bone. Of course, there are certain practices you’ll need to keep in mind to improve your chances of saving the tooth.
Best Practices for Handling Knocked-Out Teeth
The moment a tooth is knocked out of your mouth, do your best to stay calm and look for it. When found, carefully pick it up by the crown (top) portion only and do not touch the root. Avoid removing any tissue that may still be attached to the root as well. If dirt or other debris has collected on the tooth, gently rinse it with cool water. From there, you can place it back into your socket, making sure to position it in the correct orientation.
If you cannot place the tooth back into your socket, you can also keep it submerged in milk, saline solution, saltwater, or saliva as a last resort. However, you’ll want to get to a dental office within 30 minutes to an hour. Avoid placing it in water as this can actually burst cells on the surface of the tooth, making it more difficult to reimplant.
Why You Still Need to Visit a Dentist
Not only should you consult a dentist to confirm your knocked-out tooth is still viable, but you’ll need to complete root canal therapy even if the tooth can be salvaged. This is because of the damage that occurred to the nerves and blood vessels, two components that are crucial to the long-term health of your tooth. Additionally, a knocked-out tooth is never something that should be ignored. To avoid other complications (including dental drift and future tooth loss), a dentist will need to replace the tooth if your natural one cannot be saved.
Even when a tooth is knocked out, there’s still hope to save it. However, you need to act quickly. Get in touch with an emergency dentist as soon as possible to get the best chances of saving your tooth and avoiding the need for tooth replacement!
About the Author
Dr. Spiro Saati works hard to get you seen for emergency dental care the same day that you call, especially for time-sensitive emergencies like knocked-out teeth. Even in the worst-case scenario where the tooth cannot be saved, Dr. Josephine Pandolfo, a skilled specialist that partners with Dr. Saati’s office, is happy to perform dental implant placement entirely in-house! To schedule an emergency appointment, you can contact him through his website.