How To Handle an Avulsed Tooth

As the weather warms up and we head into summer, you are probably anxious to spend time outdoors. Maybe you and your family enjoy bike riding or playing sports. Always remember that safety comes first. You probably know that it is a good idea to wear a helmet while riding a bike or playing sports. However, you may not have given thought to the importance of wearing a sports guard when participating in vigorous outdoor activities. A sports guard can go a long way in preventing dental trauma. Once such dental injury you can avoid is an avulsed tooth. An avulsed tooth is the term dentists use to describe a tooth that has been knocked out. If you are faced with a tooth avulsion, chances are good that the tooth can be saved and re-implanted if the proper steps are taken immediately.

Follow these tips to increase your chances of saving the avulsed tooth:

• Carefully handle the tooth and avoid touching the root as it can be easily damaged.
• If the tooth needs to be cleaned, hold it by the crown and rinse it with milk. If you don’t have milk, rinse it with water. Allow it to air dry.
• The tooth must be kept moist. You can place it in a cup of milk. If milk is unavailable you can store it in your mouth, between your gum and cheek. A child may not be able to safely keep the tooth in his mouth. In this case, you can have the child spit in a cup and put the tooth in the saliva. If this is not possible, you can simply keep the tooth in water. The idea is to keep the tooth from drying out.
• You can try to slip the tooth back into its socket. There’s a good chance it will slip right back in. You shouldn’t force it. Make sure it is facing the correct way. If the tooth won’t easily go back in place, then simply store it to keep it moist until you see a Buffalo Dentist.
• Visit your East Amherst Dentist immediately to increase the chances of re-implanting the tooth successfully.

Repairing the Avulsed Tooth

Your East Amherst Dentist will flush the socket to wash away debris. It is possible that the repair can be as simple as slipping the tooth back into the socket. Ideally, this should take place within an hour of the accident.

Your Buffalo Dentist may decide to do a root canal or may wait. That decision will depend on such factors as how long the tooth was out of the socket. In any case, your dentist will splint the tooth by using a soft wire and composite materials to attach the tooth to teeth on either side. If the bone around the tooth was not damaged, it should reattach to the tooth within three to four weeks. If the bone is damaged, however, it will take longer. Your East Amherst dentist will follow up regularly to ensure the tooth re-attaches correctly.