Accidental Tooth Loss by Injury

[Dr. Josh Leute]

Greetings from Dr. Josh Leute!

Accidental Tooth Loss by Injury

It can happen in the blink of an eye: an accident that leaves a tooth hanging by a thread or lying on the ground. Kids, athletes, soccer hooligans - it can happen to just about anyone. Ouch! But if it does happen, it's important to know the proper first aid:

- If the tooth is loose (even extremely so!) but is still attached in any way, leave it in place. Do not remove it!
- If it is out of its socket completely and unattached, but still in the victim's mouth, it is best to have the person hold the tooth in their mouth, if possible, until a dentist can attempt re-implantation.
- If the tooth is out of the mouth, do not let it dry out. Handle it as little as possible. Do not attempt to disinfect the tooth, or scrub it, or remove any tissue attached to it.
- If the tooth is recovered from the ground or other soiled area, rinse it off in lukewarm water. Preserve it in milk until a dentist is available. If milk is not available, lukewarm water will suffice.

Time out of the socket is critical in the long-term success of re-implantation. After 30 minutes, the success potential begins to decline. However, re-implantation is still possible after several hours, so the attempt can still be made even if the tooth has been out for a long period.

Remember, even if re-implantation fails, you have a variety of other options. For more information on emergency dental care or tooth replacement, please don't hesitate to call us at (262)284-5884 or email us at drleute at familydentistportwashington.com today.

Best Regards,
Dr. Josh Leute

P.S. If you have any friends or family members who you feel could use our services, please don't hesitate to have them call us. We'll be sure to take good care of them.