What To Do When A Tooth Is Knocked Out

It would not be wrong to say that teeth are a vital organ of our body.  I have stated organ just to add stress to this fact.  The teeth perform the action of not only chewing but also allow us to say the words right.  When a child or an adult suffers a blow to their face, this can result in the loss of a tooth or teeth.  If immediate action is taken, then the adult tooth can be saved but if the blow results in the loss of temporary teeth of a child, then it must not be placed back in the socket.

Before the permanent tooth of a child or an adult is being placed back in the socket, it must be made sure that the tooth is not cracked.  This needs to be assessed by a dentist so as to make sure of the tooth’s status.  As mentioned above, if a child’s tooth is knocked down, just do not attempt to place the tooth back into the socket because if this tooth is placed back in the socket it can get stuck.  This will only cause problems to give way for the new (permanent) tooth to arise.

If such happens, then the child must be given immediate dental care, take the child to the dentist as soon as possible so as to stop profuse bleeding and immediate urgent attention that is needed.  If a child loses a permanent teeth, then this tooth needs to be replaced as soon as possible because there is still a chance that the tooth might survive.  With the passage of time, every single minute, the chances of the tooth survival will become less and less. 

So if a child loses a tooth, just do not allow the tooth to dry and you must not scrape or rub the surface of the tooth.  The tooth must be cleaned with the milk rather than rinsing with water.  If you do not have access to milk, then the tooth must be rinsed with water no more than 2 to 3 seconds.  If the tooth is clean, then it needs to be placed back in the socket immediately. 

Keep the tooth in place by applying pressure on the tooth.  The pressure needs to be applied for a couple of minutes.  You can also place a clean soft cloth on the tooth and ask the child to bite on it.  This serves not only to keep the tooth in place but also to stop the bleeding from the gums.  As soon as this emergency workup is done, it is important to see the dentist immediately.

There can be a situation in which the tooth cannot be placed in the socket.  In this situation, the first thing that needs to be done is to immerse the tooth in the milk or it should be wrapped in a plastic and then seek immediate help from the dentist.  Another situation that can be faced is that you are unable to find the tooth.  If such is the case, then you need to carefully look at the clothes and the ground.  If the tooth is not found, then the child must be immediately taken to the dentist.  Immediate help is needed to determine the damage done to the jaw bone or other teeth.