One of the most concerning types of emergency dental problems is having a tooth knocked out of your mouth. It doesn't matter what the situation was the cause it to happen since you'll need to get emergency care as soon as possible. THis is the best way to ensure that the tooth will go back into your gums and be saved. Here is what you need to do when you have a tooth knocked out.

Avoid Wrapping the Tooth Up

Your initial thought may be to grab a clean cloth and wrap your tooth in order to protect it. This is actually the wrong way to go about protecting a tooth. Wrapping a tooth will expose it to dirt, lint, or germs that could be on the item you are using. You want to avoid contamination when possible, which involves taking some steps you may not have thought of.

You'll want to handle the tooth by only touching the crown. Avoid touching the root, since the skin's natural oils can transfer to the tooth. If the tooth is dirty after touching the ground, rinse it only cold water to wash it away. Then you have a couple of options for how to store the tooth.

The easiest thing to do is put the tooth back into your mouth so that your saliva keeps it moist. You can insert it back into the socket, or put it underneath your tongue. Another option is to put the tooth into a cup of milk. If you do not have milk on hand, you can always spit into a cup to keep the tooth moist.

Visit an Emergency Dentist Immediately

The next step is to visit an emergency dentist immediately to save the tooth and reinsert it back into your gums. The dentist will make sure that the tooth is positioned properly, and then use splints to hold it in place.

Be prepared for the splints to remain in place for a few weeks for the tooth's root to become secure with your gums once again. Your dentist will evaluate how the tooth is doing, and remove the splints when it looks like it has become stable. Your dentist may recommend that you have a root canal performed on the tooth to ensure that there will not be an infection in the tooth down the road.

For more information on how to handle a knocked out tooth, reach out to an emergency dentist. Contact a company like dentistofmanchester.com for more information and assistance. 

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