There you are, going through life without a care in the world, maybe driving to work, enjoying your favorite sport, or enjoying your favorite biking trail when, suddenly, it happens. A sudden collision, a softball to the face, or a spill off your bike knocks out one of your permanent teeth! Sudden dental trauma resulting in the complete loss of a tooth is a very serious situation. However, knowing what steps to take immediately after the accident and what steps you may need to take to eventually replace that knocked-out tooth (usually with a dental implant) can help you enjoy the best outcomes and get your smile back to tip-top shape.
Dental First Aid for Knocked Out Teeth
Basic first aid for a knocked out tooth is relatively simple:
- Immediately rinse your mouth out with lukewarm water (if possible, rinsing with a salt water solution is preferable, but water will do if you’re away from a kitchen)
- Use a clean cloth or paper towel to gently apply pressure to the area where the tooth was knocked out to stop any bleeding
- If possible, recover the tooth, wash it gently in warm water (being careful to let any pieces of attached tissue to remain), and store it in a small container of water, milk, or Sav-A-Tooth
- Schedule an emergency appointment with your dentist
The sooner you see your dentist, the higher your chances that she may be able to reattach the tooth. However, this is simply not possible for all types of knocked out teeth, especially ones where the tooth breaks off at the gum line or where the tooth itself is destroyed.
Replacement Options for a Knocked Out Tooth
If your dentist says that reattaching the tooth isn’t an option, that doesn’t mean you’ll have to walk through life with a great big gap in your smile. The most common type of single tooth replacement is a dental implant topped with a crown. This type of dental prosthetic resembles a tiny screw with a crown attached to the top. Once implanted in your jaw, it replaces the entire structure of the missing tooth, providing the most lifelike tooth replacement option. In fact, most dental implant patients report that they often forget they even lost a tooth in the first place.
