3 Things To Do If Your Tooth Gets Knocked Out
Posted on: 9 May 2019
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If you are out playing some basketball with your friends, it's possible that you might get a little rowdy while you are having your friendly pickup game. And, as happens on occasion, you might accidentally get hit in the mouth. When you get hit, you may end up getting a tooth knocked out. If that does happen, you need to make sure that you know what to do so that you can give your tooth the best possible chance of reimplanting.
Treat the Tooth Gently
The first thing that you are going to need to do is to make sure that you are handling your tooth carefully and gently. Do not pick it up by the root. The root is the part of your tooth that will sit in your jaw and anchor your tooth to the bone. It is a relatively delicate structure since it doesn't generally get exposed to anything and it is protected by the bones in your jaw. Picking your tooth up by the root runs a pretty significant risk of damage, so it's always better to pick it up by the crown.
Rinse off Debris
Another thing that you need to do is to make sure that you have no debris left over on your tooth. If it had fallen on the ground, you may have bits and pieces of dirt, gravel, or debris on it. You don't want to put that dirt and debris back in your mouth and into the socket because you are just asking for an infection to set in. To avoid that, you want to gently rinse the tooth off in a sink or water fountain. You don't want to put your tooth under a strong water flow, because that could also cause damage. Just a gentle stream or trickle would do the job.
Put it Back
Once it's been rinsed off, it's time to attempt to put the tooth back in the socket. Just gently try to put the tooth back in your jaw. Getting it back home as soon as possible gives your tooth the best chance to stay healthy. Do not force your tooth into place. If it doesn't want to go in easily or it hurts, then you should stop. If you need to do that, store the tooth in a little bag or cup with enough milk or spit to cover it.
If you and your friends got a little rambunctious during a ball game, you might end up with a tooth knocked out. Following these tips can help you make sure that you take care of your tooth appropriately. For more information, contact a local dental clinic like Wallington Dental.