Dental Accidents: What to Do at Home

Injuring a tooth can be a scary experience for anyone. However, in your moment of panic, it is important that you know what to do until you can see your dentist. You’ll need to first apply pressure to any areas that are bleeding. Next, you can take steps to save your tooth, which largely depends on how severe the tooth fracture is and where it is on the tooth.

If the Tooth is Chipped Off

Depending on the size of your chip, the fractured tooth fragment may be possible to cement or bond it back into place. If possible, locate the chipped off portion of your tooth and bring it with you to your emergency dental appointment. A dental crown may also be used to cover up your broken tooth and rebuild its integrity.

If the Tooth is Knocked Completely Out

Avulsed (knocked out) teeth should ideally be re-implanted within the first 60-90 minutes after the injury. What you do with the avulsed tooth, however, is critical to the chances of successful re-implantation. You have a few options when it comes to storing a knocked-out tooth:

• Put the tooth back into the socket and hold it there
• Tuck the tooth inside your cheek
• Place the tooth in a cup of your own saliva
• Store the tooth in milk, saline or contact solution

Don’t Scrub It Clean!

You may be tempted to clean a tooth that was knocked out of your mouth, especially if it fell in the dirt. While a gentle rinsing is okay to flush away visible debris, it is important that you don’t scrub the tooth, as this can remove microscopic ligaments that can help the tooth’s ability to be re-implanted.

Call Your Dentist

At Laguna West Dental, we are available and equipped to handle your unexpected tooth damage, whether it includes bonding a chipped tooth or re-implanting an avulsed tooth. We encourage patients to stay calm and call our Elk Grove office for help.