Our teeth are an important part of daily life that we tend to take for granted. Your teeth impact your confidence, comfort, and ability to live your life the way that you want. Preventative dental care is important to maintaining proper dental health, but what do you do when a dental emergency occurs? Every dental emergency is a little different, but if you lose a tooth, follow these steps to keep your smile healthy:

Clean the Tooth

After the tooth has fallen out, use water or a sterile saline solution to clean the tooth. You don’t need to scrub the tooth at all, just rinse the surface of the tooth. Some dentists even recommend rinsing the tooth in milk. While you rinse the tooth, only handle it by the crown, or the top, to avoid damaging the root of the tooth. 

Put it Back

Once your tooth is rinsed off, reinsert it into the hole it fell out of. That may sound weird, but it really is the best way to keep the root protected until you are able to seek professional care. Of course, the tooth won’t stay in place on its own. Bite down on medical gauze or another clean, soft fabric to keep the tooth in place. You should not attempt to eat while your tooth is in this state. Food can become lodged in the hole and cause irreparable damage to the root. 

Visit the Dentist 

Finally, you should see your dentist as soon as possible when you lose a tooth. If you explain the situation, they will more than likely be able to get you seen the same day! Be sure to bring the tooth with you. If you can, keep it inserted and continue biting the gauze or fabric until you can be seen. The tooth may be able to be restored and reinserted depending on what caused it to fall out in the first place. If there is no dentist available, visit your local emergency room or urgent care to see if they can help reinsert the tooth until you’re able to visit the dentist. Delaying treatment will reduce the likelihood of restoring the tooth and raises your risk of infection.

Finding the Right Dentist

It’s important to have a dentist that you can trust to provide high quality care, especially when a dental emergency arises. Paradise Dental Associates prioritizes patient comfort while using the latest dental technologies available to bring top quality care. If you are having a dental emergency or are looking to find a dental care provider in Salem, MA, give us a call today! 781-819-2068