You might have seen movies or TV shows where two characters are fighting and suddenly a tiny white thing flies out of one of their mouths. A punch to the face could certainly cause you to lose a tooth, but that isn’t the only mishap that can lead to a brand-new gap in your smile. If you play sports or get involved in some type of accident, you could very well find yourself short one pearly white. If this happens to you, the first thing you should do is call your dentist or search for “endodontist near me” who may be able to save your tooth. Before you get to your dental care professional’s office, though, there are a few steps you should take to increase the chances that your smile can stay complete.
If the Entire Tooth Gets Knocked Out
Exactly what you should do will depend on the nature of your injury. While sometimes a tooth gets broken and only part of it falls out, in other cases the entire thing comes out. If a whole tooth, including the crown and root, gets knocked out of your mouth, you must be careful to store and handle it properly. Be sure you:
- Only touch the tooth by the crown, the part that you normally see above the gum line.
- Store the tooth in its original socket or in a glass of milk. Water works as a last resort. If the tooth dries out, it is unlikely that it can be reinserted.
- Get to a dental professional as soon as possible—preferably within the hour. They may be able to splint the tooth into its proper place. It could firmly reattach itself in as little as three or four weeks. It’s likely that you’ll also need a root canal.
If Only Part of the Tooth Gets Knocked Out
If your tooth is fractured and only part of it gets knocked out of your mouth, you still need to see a professional for care as soon as possible. In the meantime, you might use ice or mild painkillers to manage your discomfort.
You’ll probably need a root canal performed by an endodontist; the procedure will fight infection and lessen your pain. After the root canal, your care provider will place a crown to protect the remainder of your natural tooth.
In some cases, it might not be possible to save what is left of your tooth. Your dentist may have to extract it. After you heal sufficiently from the extraction, you might receive an implant, which will replace your missing tooth root and give you a new, like-real pearly white to smile and chew with.
Sports, traffic accidents, construction mishaps, fights, and a host of other situations could lead to a tooth getting knocked out. If this dental emergency happens to you, follow the steps above so your smile can get back to being healthy and complete as soon as possible.
About the Endodontist
Dr. Deborah Bishop is an endodontist, which means she is a dentist who has specialized training in how to treat the innermost part of teeth—the pulp and the roots. An endodontist can play a pivotal role in helping you recover from a knocked-out tooth. If you’re in the Huntsville area and have suffered a serious dental injury, please contact our office at 256-882-5161.