Few dental problems can precipitate greater issues than a chipped or knocked-out tooth. Unfortunately, such events happen to millions of individuals each year. These occurrences are not only painful but could render common actions such as speaking and eating major challenges.
The experienced team of dentists in Lincoln Park employed by American Dental want our patients to know that there are critical actions they can execute in the wake of such injuries that might increase their chances of saving the impacted dental components and expediting their recovery.
Causes Of Broken Or Knocked Out Teeth
In most instances, injured or involuntarily extracted teeth result from acute incidents such as:
- Physical altercations
- Falls
- Automobile accidents
- Biting down on hard foods like candy or nuts
- Underlying oral or biological illness
In addition to tooth damage or loss, afflicted subjects might also encounter symptoms like bleeding and pain. Furthermore, such occurrences could increase the impacted person’s chances of sustaining further dental damage or experiencing infections or other complications.
Six Tips For Handling Broken Or Knocked Out Teeth
Seek Emergency Care
We advise our customers to act fast. Many oral care providers view chipped or knocked-out teeth as dental emergencies and will schedule immediate consultations with patients. Said effort heightens one’s chance of saving the tooth and reduces the risk of potential complications.
Pick Up The Impacted Tooth By Its Crown
Though often overlooked, we stress that this piece of advice is crucial. If full tooth extraction occurred, prospective patients are encouraged to pick said component up by its crown. Touching the roots could damage said structures and render reinsertion far more difficult.
Cleanse Tooth
Once recaptured, the tooth should be thoroughly cleaned. That said, only water should be employed for this purpose. Avoid using any type of soap or chemical agents. Moreover, the tooth should not be dried or placed inside any object.
Ensure The Tooth Remains Moist
The impacted dental component should remain moist at all times. Should the impacted individual be able to reposition the tooth inside their mouth, saliva will address this concern.
However, if initial reinsertion is not possible, the tooth should be stored in a non-caustic liquid like milk or inside an emergency tooth preservation kit.
Realign Tooth If Possible
We urge our patients to reinsert the full or partially lost tooth if applicable. Using one’s fingers, they should gently push the tooth into place, crown first.
Take Action Within 30 Minutes
Again, we reiterate the importance of responding quickly. Preservation measures or an emergency consultation with an oral care provider should commence within no more than 30 minutes following the injury or tooth loss.
Contacting Us
Individuals who experience tooth injury or loss are encouraged to contact us. Our team of highly-experienced professional dentists in Chicago, Il possess extensive experience addressing dental emergencies. More about us and the services we offer can be found by visiting our website!