Restoring A Knocked Out Tooth In Greenwich
What to do if you lose a tooth in this dramatic manner?
Mostly, when we lose a tooth, it will have been a gradual process. Either problems have been happening, without our knowledge, for some time, resulting in the need for extraction, or, the tooth may have been repaired with fillings etc a number of times until it is no longer viable to save it.
Not all tooth loss occurs in this way though, and, although relatively rare, a tooth can be knocked clean out of the socket, usually through a heavy blow such as by a cricket ball or even a heavy fall.
Providing that the correct actions are taken, it may just be possible to replace the natural tooth into the socket, allowing it to heal. In today’s blog, our Greenwich dentists discuss what to do should this happen to you.
Pick up the tooth
Obviously, the first thing that you need to do is to pick up the tooth. This should be done as soon as possible. Time is a key factor in saving a tooth that has been knocked out in this way. You should pick the tooth up by the crown part of the tooth; that is the part that you would normally see above the gum line. Avoid touching the root part of the tooth at all.
Clean the tooth
If the tooth has collected any dust or dirt, you should clean this off. Do not wipe or scrub the tooth though, simply give it a quick rinse. Don’t wrap the tooth in cloth or paper of any kind.
Replace the tooth if possible
This is YOUR tooth, and the best way to preserve it until you can see the dentist at our Greenwich practice, is to put the tooth back into the socket if this is possible. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, or there has been some damage to the socket, do not force it. If it will go back in easily, place it into the socket, applying very gentle pressure by biting, to push it into place. You do still need to see the dentist, even if you manage to put it back into the socket yourself.
Preserving the tooth
If you are unable to or don’t feel comfortable doing the above, the best place to keep the tooth is in the cheek of your mouth. Do take care not to swallow it though. If you don’t wish to do this, keep the tooth in a small container covered by your own saliva, or if this is not practical, some milk. Water should be avoided as the living cells of the teeth are unlikely to tolerate the chemicals in the water, especially if it is tap water.
Contact us immediately
Make sure that you call the Confidental Clinic immediately so that we can arrange an emergency dental appointment for you. The quicker you are able to receive treatment, the more likely it is that restoration will be successful. Whilst we will do all that we possibly can to save the natural tooth, this is obviously a traumatic event for it, and restoration is not always possible. Where replacement is not a viable option, we can discuss tooth replacement options; namely dentures, a bridge or dental implants.
For emergency and general dental appointments, please contact the Confidental Clinic in Greenwich, explaining the nature of the enquiry to our receptionist on 020 8858 1422.