Emergency Dental Services
If you or your child has a tooth that was knocked out, there are some important things you should know to prevent further damage. Having your tooth knocked out due to an accident or injury doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gone forever. First you should contact your dentist for emergency dental services, if you can’t get through to them, then you can go to the hospital. They will usually have an oral doctor who can treat you until your next dental visit.
When a tooth gets knocked out, a lot more happens than just a missing tooth. The nerves, blood vessels and tissues are also damaged. The nerves and blood vessels obviously can’t be repaired so you will need a root canal to repair the rest of your tooth. Dentists actually determine a knocked-out tooth as avulsed. Which in terms means the injury site will look like a deep hole filled with blood. It is still technically intact, containing the entire root and crown of the tooth. That is why preserving it and getting to your dentist as soon as possible is very important.
Steps to Take for a Tooth Knocked Out
- Find the tooth and handle with care. It is necessary to have the tooth so the dentist can re-implant it into the socket. Try to not touch the root because it can be damaged easily.
- Try to reposition the tooth in the socket if possible. Gently push it in with your fingers, by the crown (the top of the tooth, not the root) or position it above the socket and close your mouth gently. Hold the tooth in place until you reach the dentist office. If it’s your child, you don’t want to keep the tooth in their mouths, they could potentially swallow it. In that case, take a look at the next step.
- Keep the tooth clean. If it is dirty, grab the tooth by the crown (the top of the tooth) and rise with milk. You’ll also want to keep it in a container filled with either saliva, water or milk, but milk is the best if you have any. The most important thing to do before you get to your dentist office is to keep the tooth moist.
- When you contact your dentist for emergency dental services, tell them your tooth was knocked out and the steps you have taken to preserve the tooth. If you call the office and it’s after hours, they will most likely have an on-call dentist or emergency number for urgent care. This does count as urgent, so call them as soon as possible and arrive at their office within 30 minutes.
- Once you have met with your dentist and they have taken all the necessary precautions and treatments to repair the tooth, make sure to follow their instructions step by step in the healing process. This will include light and gentle mouth washing and some modifications to brushing and flossing. Soft foods will be the new norm for a while because biting into anything can cause more damage and could really hurt.
If your doctor says you will need a root canal to repair the rest of your tooth, here is some things you should know. A root canal will treat the inside of the tooth. Inside the tooth is a very soft tissue called the pulp, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. The first few days after the procedure, your tooth may feel more sensitive and you’ll receive some over-the-counter prescriptions to help. You should not chew or bite any foods that could potentially damage the tooth again. Try eating foods like applesauce, eggs, noodles, fish, etc. The cost of the procedure does vary depending on how complex the damage from your knocked out tooth is.
If you have any further questions or concerns on knocked out teeth or emergency dental procedures, contact Jenson Dental in Brigham City today!
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