Knocked-Out Tooth? Here’s What to Do

Maybe you’re playing soccer or just simply going about your day and all of a sudden, you trip and fall or a ball comes flying and smacks you in the face. You hit the ground and hear a crack, then you run your tongue along your teeth and notice there’s a gap where once there was a tooth!

Getting a tooth knocked out can make you want to panic. When you get one knocked out it’s considered a dental emergency, and if you’re not too badly stunned by it, you should leap into action right away. Luckily, losing a tooth doesn’t automatically mean that your tooth will be gone forever. If you act quickly, and better yet, find your missing tooth on the ground, then you have a fighting chance that your dentist can restore your knocked-out tooth to its original place. And even if the original tooth cannot be restored, there are many other dental options out there that can help you find a replacement so you can still have a healthy, natural-looking smile.

Here are our recommendations on what you should do if you get your tooth knocked out and are experiencing a dental emergency.

Handle Your Tooth With Care

It’s pretty important to find the tooth that got knocked out, as your dentist will need to put it back in. If the whole tooth has come out, then simply pick it up by the crown which is the naturally exposed part of the tooth. Try not to mess too much with the roots of the tooth if they are still attached, as they are the most sensitive bits and keep your tooth in place.

Wash Your Tooth

Once you have found your tooth, rinse it off using either water or milk to remove any remaining dirt or debris. When you are holding your tooth, only touch the chewing surface. Do not use any soap or other chemicals on your tooth, and do not scrub it or let it dry out. After it is clean, you may place it back into your mouth until you see your dentist. If you can’t do this, keep it submerged in a glass of milk until you can have your dentist look at it.

Place Your Tooth Back Into the Socket

If you can, gently place your tooth back into its socket, but make sure that the root goes in first and the tooth is facing the right way. Keep your tooth in place by biting down on something soft like a handkerchief.

However, if you find that you cannot place your tooth back into its socket, put the tooth into a container filled with milk or a saline solution, or wrap it in plastic food wrap as a last resort.

Relieving Pain

If the area where your tooth got knocked out is painful then you can take some over-the-counter pain relief. An ice pack applied to the jaw can also help reduce any swelling and reduce pain. You can hold the ice pack in place for 20 minutes, and then off for 20 minutes - and repeat for as long as you like.

Go to Your Emergency Dentist in Toronto

Try to get to your dentist as soon as possible after a dental emergency like a knocked-out tooth occurs. Ideally, get to the office within half an hour of your injury. But even if you can’t, don’t worry. Your dentist might still be able to restore your tooth, even if it has been displaced for more than an hour.

What are your options if your tooth can’t be saved?

In some cases, your original tooth can’t be saved. This might be because the accident damaged the tooth too much or the tooth was out of your mouth for too long.

If this happens, you have a few options to replace your tooth. You can get a dental implant which will create a natural look while still preserving natural tooth functions. In comparison to other tooth replacement solutions like dentures, an implant also feels exactly like a normal tooth. Implants are permanent, so you won’t need to worry about removing them for cleaning or replacing them later on.

What to Do if Your Baby’s Tooth Gets Knocked Out

If your child or baby goes through a dental emergency where their tooth gets knocked out, you cannot reinsert the tooth back into their mouth. This can result in damage to their underlying adult teeth. In certain situations, the baby tooth can become fused with the adult tooth which will impact the adult tooth’s natural development.

If a baby tooth has been knocked out, you should still visit your dentist. That way your dentist can see if there’s any damage to the surrounding teeth or gums. After that, your child can place their tooth underneath their pillow for the tooth fairy.

Keep Calm During a Dental Emergency

Getting your tooth knocked out can be an upsetting experience. But as long as you stay calm and act quickly, the odds of saving your tooth are pretty high. If you are going through a dental emergency, being calm will help you deal with it and get back to your normal life in the shortest amount of time.

For more information about dental emergencies in Toronto, call Bloor West Smiles at 647-371-1407 or contact us here.