What to Do About a Knocked-Out Tooth

Your teeth are held in their sockets by a series of periodontal ligaments. Even though these ligaments are very strong, there are times when a blow to the face can actually knock a tooth out of the mouth. This is even more likely if you participate in vigorous athletics or contact sports without wearing a quality mouthguard. In fact, it’s estimated that of the five million teeth that are knocked out every year, three million of them are due to athletic activities.

Here at [practice_name], we offer a few critical first-aid tips to keep in mind to help you deal with a knocked-out tooth.

If there are blood or debris in your mouth, you can rinse them away and soothe the injured tissues with lukewarm saltwater. This will help you get a clear look at the area so you can understand the extent of the damage to your gums and see if any of the tooth remains in the socket.

Your dentist, Dr. [doctor_name], could implant the knocked-out tooth back into the socket as long as it is completely whole and alive.

You can keep it alive by holding it in your cheek. There are also tooth-preservation products available for sale that are filled with a specially formulated nourishing gel. To use it, you simply place the knocked-out tooth in the jar and seal it. With a bit of luck, the nourishing gel will keep the knocked-out tooth alive long enough for our [practice_name] team to attempt to implant it back in the socket.

However, it is more common for a knocked-out tooth to be fractured, cracked or damaged in some way, leaving remnants in the socket. In a case like this, your [practice_name] dentist will either need to perform a root canal or extract the remnants. Later, our team can tell you your restoration options.   

If one of your teeth has been knocked out in [city], [state], you should not delay in calling [practice_name] at [phone] to set up an appointment.