Dental Injury

Oh no my child fell and knocked a tooth out!  Would you know what to do if your child knocked a tooth out?

dental-injuryIf you can find the tooth it’s best to put it right back in. If the tooth is covered in dirt very gently rinse it off first. The sooner you can put the tooth back in the better chance you have of saving it. Also having the tooth back in place will help stop any bleeding. It’s important to keep the cells on the root surface alive. If you can’t re-implant the tooth the next best thing is to keep the tooth wet with saliva. Milk or save-a-tooth solution is the next best alternative.

The bleeding will stop usually on its own or it can be aided by having the child bite on a Lipton tea bag. Once a blood clot has formed in the socket it will be very difficult even for a dentist to get the tooth back in place. There are only two ways to put the tooth in the right way and 180 degrees rotated. If you’re not sure which way is correct have someone google pictures of teeth to help you match it up. There is a very high chance that the tooth will die and further dental work will be needed but it is still best to try and get the tooth back in place within 15-20 minutes.

Call our Sioux Falls Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.