Having a tooth get knocked out can be a scary experience. Luckily, an emergency dentist in Mount Vernon might be able to save it. Read here to learn what to do.
Did you know that adults between the ages of 20 and 64 only have around
24 real teeth remaining? Tooth loss can happen for a variety of reasons from tooth decay and gingivitis to physical damage to the mouth. You might be wondering what you should do if your tooth got knocked out.
One of the first things you should do is visit an emergency dentist in Mount Vernon. However, what should you do if you can't see the dentist right away?
Fortunately, this guide will teach you everything you need to know when it comes to saving your knocked-out tooth.
First, let's see why it's so important to act fast if your tooth is knocked out of your mouth.
Why You Should Act Fast When You Lose a Tooth
If your tooth is knocked out of your mouth, try not to hesitate for too long, and be sure to locate your tooth on the ground. If your tooth has been knocked loose but not out of your mouth, you might not need to worry so much. However, if your tooth has fully left its socket, the reason you need to act fast is that there is still a chance that you can save your tooth as long as you don't wait too long.
Be sure that you don't forget about your tooth at the site of the accident. Instead, collect yourself and look for your tooth whether it be in the grass or on the pavement. Once you find your tooth, pick it up, but be very careful that you grab it only by the chewing surface or crown rather than by the root.
This is important because the root is much more sensitive compared to the rest of the tooth which is covered in a hard and protective enamel layer.
More likely than not, your tooth will have some dirt or other debris on it. If this is the case, hurry and wash your tooth.
Do not use any soap or harsh chemicals and do not rub the tooth with any rags or brushes. Instead, rinse the debris away from the tooth with warm water. Once the tooth is clean, you should also avoid wrapping the tooth in any kind of cloth or towel.
These actions can all damage the tooth's odds of survival. After you clean and dry the tooth, you should gently try to place it back into its socket. Again, grab the tooth only by the chewing surface.
How to Save Your Lost Tooth
After you place your tooth back in its socket, you should hold it there with a finger, but be careful not to press too hard. Instead of using your finger, you could also try biting down on the tooth to keep it in place. You might be wondering what you should do if you can't place your tooth back into its socket.
In this case, you need another method of keeping your tooth moist. If the tooth dries out, its root will no longer be viable and there will be no more hope for saving it. If you can't fit the tooth back in your mouth, try placing it in a glass of milk.
If you don't like the sound of that, you can also try holding the tooth in your mouth pressed between your cheek and your other teeth. Be sure that you're careful when handling the tooth at all times. You should avoid placing the tooth in tap water.
This is because tap water is too harsh for the delicate root cells and can damage them in a short period of time. You may, however, be able to place the tooth in a glass of purified water for a short period if you don't have milk on hand. There are also some tooth preservation kits that you can buy.
These are important to have on hand if you lead an active lifestyle. For example, many athletes commonly get their teeth knocked out and they could benefit from having a tooth preservation kit on hand.
Once you preserve your tooth for the moment, it's time to see a
dentist in Mt. Vernon.
Visiting an Emergency Dentist in Mount Vernon
If you're wondering, "Do I really need to visit an emergency dentist near me for a lost tooth?" the answer is yes. Only a dentist will be able to properly place your tooth back into its socket and save it. However, you should keep in mind that the chances of saving your tooth decrease the longer the tooth has been out of your mouth.
For example, if you can put your tooth back into its socket within five minutes, there is a very good chance that your tooth will survive. Once your tooth has been out of your mouth for more than an hour, the chances of its survival start significantly decreasing.
Your dentist will likely need to give you a root canal in order to fit your tooth back in your mouth. Once this is done, your dentist will splint the tooth to the nearby teeth to keep it in place. Your tooth will remain like this between two and eight weeks.
You should continue to clean your teeth as you would normally, but you should be careful when brushing your damaged tooth. After that period of time, your tooth should be healed. If not, you may need a
dental implant instead.
Saving Your Lost Tooth
If you were wondering what to do if you lose a tooth, you now know everything about it. From preserving your tooth to going to an emergency dentist in Mount Vernon, if you ever lose a tooth, you'll know exactly what to do.
If you're in need of emergency dental services, don't hesitate to
contact us here.
