Perhaps a dental emergency that seems the most alarming is losing a permanent tooth. Our smiles are incredibly important for our confidence and self-esteem. Additionally, your teeth provide a lot more than just a winning smile. All of your teeth are essential for chewing and speaking.
If you lose one, you are at risk of losing more. Therefore, it is vital to try to save your tooth if it gets knocked out. It can prevent you from undergoing several expensive or invasive dental procedures. Also, you get the benefit of keeping your natural teeth. So, if you lose a permanent tooth, you should know what to do in order to save your tooth.
Act Fast
When you lose a tooth, you must act fast. You have a narrow window of opportunity to save your tooth. Therefore, you must move quickly and get to the dentist. Generally, you have about an hour to get you and your tooth to an emergency dentist in order to save your tooth.
While you need to move quickly, you also need to remember not to panic. If you panic, you may accidentally damage your tooth, minimizing your chances of getting it replanted.
Handle With Care
When handling your tooth, you have to treat it with care. Be sure that you only hold the tooth by the crown. This is the white portion of your tooth that stays above the gum line. The other part of your tooth is the nerve, which is extremely delicate. If you touch the tooth’s nerves, you could damage them, making it difficult to reattach your tooth correctly.
Once you have your tooth, you should gently clean it. You should never scrub your tooth. Otherwise, you may damage the roots. Try rinsing it with cool water without much water pressure. You can easily damage the nerves, so treat them accordingly. You shouldn’t use any extreme temperatures.
If you are worried about damaging your tooth, you could always use your saliva to rinse the dirt or debris from your tooth.
Mouth, Saliva, Milk
In order to get to the dentist, you need to carry your tooth in a protective medium. If you don’t, you may accidentally damage it en route to the doctor. Therefore, you need to carry your tooth in something.
The best way to carry your tooth is in its socket. If you can, you should place your tooth back in its socket. This will keep your tooth safe and moist. However, you should never try to shove the tooth back in place. If you feel resistance, do not try to force it.
Your next option will be to place it in your mouth between your gums and the inside of your cheek. This will allow you to travel to the dentist without damaging or losing your tooth. Your tooth must stay moist; otherwise, the nerves will dry out.
Another way you can transport your tooth is in a glass of milk. This may sound like a myth, but it is actually true. Milk has several vitamins and minerals that help keep your tooth alive.