Dentist and Skin Care Blog from Boston's Area Leading Dental Office

A run-in with the door, an accidental fall, or a smack on the mouth with a flying ball can all result in a loosened tooth. When it’s a baby tooth, you can make a profitable trade with the tooth fairy. But a permanent tooth that breaks off of the socket requires emergency care—and time is ticking so you need to act quickly! The chances of saving knocked-out, or an avulsed, teeth are greater for young children than adults. But in most cases, injured teeth can be re-implanted if stored properly and receive immediate attention—ideally within an hour.

Proper Handling

They may seem lifeless, but teeth are alive with an intricate network of blood vessels and nerves that connect to your gums and jaw.  Proper handling of a knocked-out tooth is crucial in the attempt to revive it:

1. Hold only the crown of the tooth and not the root –doing so can damage the ligament
2. You may rinse the tooth, but don’t scrape off the dirt or remove any connecting tissue
3. Wash your mouth with warm water
4. Try to reinsert the tooth into the socket, leveling it with the adjacent teeth.  Press down with your thumb and stabilize it by biting down on gauze or cloth.
5. If the tooth can’t be replaced in your mouth, store it in whole milk, saliva or between cheeks and gums to keep it from drying out. You may consider buying a tooth saver or storage device that are available at most dental offices to keep in your first aid kit.

Successful Treatment

The tooth’s survival will depend on the severity of the injury and whether it reconnects correctly to the jaw.  Even after a tooth reattaches, the dentist may also perform a root canal to treat the damaged nerve. Some re-implanted teeth still experience root resorption or deterioration, especially if the tooth was left outside of the socket for a long time before re-implantation. Regular checkups allow your dentist to check for signs of problems down the road. Safeguard your precious smile—talk to a dental specialist at Smile and Skin about treatment options of knocked-out, chipped, or fractured teeth.