First Aid Steps For A Knocked-Out Tooth

Any injury on the mouth that has a high impact can cause a tooth or many teeth to be knocked out. It can also cause other damage but if you have a knocked-out tooth you need to immediately seek help.

If a dentist reinserts the tooth within thirty minutes then you will get the best result. However, if you can’t reach one within that time frame then you need to reinsert it yourself.

This is because after two hours it is highly likely that your tooth will not be reinserted.

First Aid Steps For A Knocked Out Tooth

If you or someone you know has a permanent knocked out tooth then here is what you can do:

• Handle the tooth because it is fragile. If not properly handled then it can cause damage forever
• Don’t touch the root. Instead, hold or pick the tooth from the upper part (the crown)
• If the tooth is dirty then gently rinse it in lukewarm water
• Only use water. Don’t use anything else to wash the tooth
• While rinsing, don’t scrape or scrub the tooth

Once this is done, you need to try to reinsert the tooth yourself. Remember, that this process is delicate and if you are not able to do that then you should go to the doctor.

Here is what you need to do:

• Use lukewarm water to rinse your mouth
• Try to reinsert the tooth into the socket it fell out of
• To completely reinsert it you need to first fix the tooth into the socket and bite on a gauze pad to make sure that the tooth is in place and inserted properly
• If your tooth is still loose then you need to store it
• Either let the tooth be in your socket while you go to the dentist or keep it in milk
• Don’t put the tooth in any other liquid

Storing the tooth helps it from drying out while you can go to the dentist and seek medical care.

Manage Pain

If during this time you are experiencing any problems of bleeding or severe pain and swelling then you can do a few things to help manage this while you seek medical here:

• If there is inflammation or pain then apply a cold compress
• If there is just pain and no inflammation then take ibuprofen for managing it
• If you are bleeding then control it by applying a cloth or gauze that is sterile

If your child is experiencing a knocked out tooth then instead of doing a cool compress for pain and swelling they can suck on a frozen pop to keep the area cool. Make sure they don’t bite the pop.

Final Words

Such injuries are extremely common and are only a cause for concern if you can’t reinsert a knocked out tooth. When that happens, you need to see a doctor immediately.

Even if you have reinserted the tooth successfully, it is important to see your dentist for a proper check-up.