Tips for Providing First Aid for a Knocked-Out Tooth

Just like any other part of your body, an accident or emergency can also happen in your mouth. Even though your teeth are anchored firmly into place, it’s still not uncommon for something like a hard fall or a blow to the face to actually knock one of your teeth out of the socket.

Here are a couple of basic first-aid tips that are offered by your dentist, Dr. Rossana T. Alfonso, to help you take care of a knocked-out tooth:

• If you have blood or debris in your mouth, you can rinse them away and sooth the injured tissues with lukewarm saltwater. This will help you get a clear view of the damage to your mouth.
• There might be a chance that Dr. Rossana T. Alfonso can implant the knocked-out tooth back into the socket. However, for this to even be possible, the tooth needs to have been knocked out of the socket cleanly and it still needs to be alive. You can keep the whole tooth alive by holding it in your cheek. There is also a tooth-preservation product sold in stores. To use it, you place the knocked-out tooth in the jar and seal it. The nourishing gel inside will keep it alive long enough for Dr. Rossana T. Alfonso to assess the situation.

If any part of the tooth remains in the socket, Dr. Rossana T. Alfonso will most likely have to extract the remainder of the knocked-out tooth. Sometimes, we can perform a root canal to restore the tooth.

If one of your teeth has been knocked out, you should call Mira Mesa Dental Care immediately at 858-457-7747 to set up and emergency appointment. Your dentist in San Diego, California, is happy to help you!