Knocked Out Teeth

If you lose a tooth, don’t panic! The first thing to ensure is that the patient is medically well and can retrieve the tooth.

If it is a baby (deciduous) tooth, do not try to reinsert it. We recommend that you leave it out and take your child to a dentist as soon as possible for further advice.

For Adult teeth, follow the guidelines of the Australian Dental Association, of which all dentists at North Adelaide Dental Care are members:

  • Handle the tooth by the crown only
  • If the tooth is clean, replant it in the socket immediately
  • If the tooth is dirty, clean it by - rinsing in milk, have the patient gently suck it, or briefly rinsing in water as a last resort [if you can't do either of the above].

Replant it in the socket as soon as possible. When replanting the tooth, use the other teeth as a guide, then have the patient hold the tooth in place with the fingers or by biting on a handkerchief.

If you are unable to replant the tooth, keep the tooth moist by [in order of preference]

  • submerging it in milk, or
  • sealing it in plastic wrap, or
  • placing it in the patient's mouth, next to the cheek [only if the patient is calm and under control]

If the tooth root appears fractured, then:

  • replant it in the socket, or
  • place it in milk or plastic wrap
  • seek immediate dental treatment - TIME IS CRITICAL

We recommend that you avoid the following actions:

  • Do not hold the tooth by the root surface
  • Do not scrape or rub the root surface
  • Do not let the tooth dry out
  • Do not rinse the tooth in water for more than a second or two
  • Do not store the tooth in water
  • Do not delay seeking dental treatment

In any case, we strongly recommend you visit your dentist as soon as you can for further advice on the affected teeth.

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