You only have one set of adult teeth, and they need to last until you are 80, 90, or beyond. The actions you take towards your teeth today will either benefit you or harm you in the future. Of course, good dental care starts with seeing a dentist regularly. You should go in for cleanings and checkups, and any other time you think something might be amiss with your teeth. Education is important when it comes to any aspect of your health, so start reading the articles on this website to educate yourself about dentists and dental care. We promise that when you're 80 and you still have your teeth, you won't regret the time spent.
The Tooth of the Matter: A Dental Blog
3 Things To Do If Your Child Knocks Out Their Tooth
Sofia Curtis
If your child knocks out a tooth when they are outside playing, you want to make sure that their tooth isn't damaged and that it can go back into their mouth and continue to be part of your child's mouth for as long as possible. There are several things that you should do if your child's tooth gets knocked. You should take your child to their dentist as soon as possible, of course. However, you might not be able to get in to see the dentist as quickly as you would like, so you need to know what to do to help save the tooth.
Stop the Bleeding
You need to stop any bleeding. The best way to do it is to use some gauze or a clean cloth, put it over the empty socket, and have your child bite down on it. It may look like it is bleeding copiously, but mouth injuries often do bleed a lot, even minor ones, because there are a lot of blood vessels in the mouth area. Putting pressure on the empty socket should stop the bleeding pretty quickly though. If your child is upset about the blood, then stopping it should help to calm them down and let you get on with the next step.
Rinse the Tooth
Once you have done what you need to stop any bleeding, you want to make sure that the tooth is clean. The best way to do that is to rinse it off with some cool water. Don't hold the tooth by the root because that will cause damage to the root, and it won't be able to reattach to the socket and continue to live in your child's mouth. The best way to rinse it off is to hold it gently by the crown and run it under a very small stream of water. You only want to do that long enough to rinse off any dirt or debris. Don't pick at any tissue that might be there.
Replace the Tooth
After the bleeding has stopped and the tooth is rinsed off, try putting the tooth back into the empty socket. That is going to be the best place to store the tooth. If you can't get the tooth back into that space, put it in a small cup with some of your child's spit in it or some milk. Don't let the tooth dry out before you can get to the dentist.
If your child has a tooth that gets knocked out, it's important to make sure that you are handling it correctly so that the tooth has the best chance to reattach possible.
Contact a family dentistry clinic for more information.
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