4 Emergency Tips for Handling an Avulsed Tooth

An avulsed tooth is a knocked-out tooth, which is a serious dental emergency that should be handled carefully and quickly. Your tooth may get knocked out because of an accident, or even a physical game such as rugby. Whatever the cause is, knowing what to do next is imperative. 

Unfortunately, many people whose teeth get knocked out believe that it's the end of their teeth. However, you can actually save your avulsed tooth. The trick is to know what you need to do and act quickly. Therefore, here are some emergency tips on how you should handle your tooth if it gets knocked out.

1. Pick Up the Tooth Carefully

If the tooth was knocked out of its socket and out of your mouth, you will need to pick it up quickly. However, be careful when handling it. As a general rule of the thumb, avoid touching the root as much as possible. This is the part of the tooth that was under your gum. Therefore, pick it up by the crown. It's important not to touch the root because you can risk damaging it. If your tooth has to be saved, a root canal procedure will have to be done. That means the bone will have to be reattached to the root of your tooth. This won't be possible if you damage the root.

2. Clean the Tooth

Holding the tooth by the crown, examine it for any dirt. If it's dirty, you will need to clean it. The best way to clean it is with milk. You can also rinse it with water but avoid tap water. Tap water contains some minerals that may be damaging to the root. Once the tooth is clean, do not try to wrap or wipe it dry using a shirt, tissue, washcloth, or any other fabric you can find. Doing this can also damage the root and reduce the chances of the tooth being saved.

3. Try to Reposition the Tooth Back in Its Socket

Gently try to put the clean tooth back into its socket. However, don't force it if it doesn't work. The idea of repositioning the tooth in the socket is to keep the tooth moist. You can also try to keep the tooth between your gum and check.

4. Keep the Tooth in Milk

If repositioning the tooth or keeping it between your gum and cheek doesn't do the trick, you can simply store the tooth in a glass of milk. However, make sure you get the dentist as soon as possible.