What You Need to do If You Lose a Tooth

As one of Duluth’s favorite family dental practices for over 20 years, we have heard almost every story of how someone has lost their tooth. With that being the case many patients have asked what they should do in the case that it happens again. This blog is dedicated to providing the need-to-know information on best practices to protect your teeth in the chance that you lose a tooth. Throughout this blog, we break down three scenarios. For more information make sure to contact our dental team as soon as possible for the best results. 

Option 1) Steps to take if you chip or break a tooth

If you chip or break a tooth use this five-step process to get it fixed as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the smaller the chance they can fix it. Make sure to act fast and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

1. Make sure you are conscious and the chip/tooth is found
2. Contact your dentist as soon as you can
3. Notify the dentist of what happened and set up the soonest appointment 
4. Put an icepack on the face to reduce swelling
5. If possible, bring the tooth fragment with you to the dentist 

If you lose a tooth there are two tactics you can use Tactic 1 should be your first try and tactic 2 should be used only when tactic 1 fails.

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Option 2) Steps to take if you lose a tooth

A knocked-out tooth is an emergency situation. Wondering what you should do if you lose or break a tooth? If you don’t get help soon, it will be impossible to save the tooth, and the socket can become badly infected. By taking quick action, you can save both the tooth and the socket.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Find the missing tooth
2. Pick it up by the crown, not the fleshy root. If the root looks dirty, give it a soft quick rinse with a sterile saline solution, milk, or saliva. Don’t scrub it or touch it — you could wind up losing vital tissue.
3. Open their mouth
4. Put the tooth back in its socket. Then hold it in place with gauze or a clean washcloth until you get to a dentist.
5. If the tooth won’t go back in place, put it in a glass of milk or sterile saline solution. Don’t put it in water. (Water doesn’t preserve the tooth as well, which can make it more difficult to reimplant.) You can also carry the tooth tucked between your gum and cheek until you get to the hospital or dentist’s office.
6. Get to a dentist immediately. (And don’t forget to bring the tooth!)
   If a dentist isn’t available, go to a hospital emergency room.

Option 3) Steps to take if you lose a tooth (tactic 2)

1. Find the missing tooth
2. Check for more damage in your mouth (more cracks, missing teeth)
3. Contact your dentist 
4. place your tooth in a clean container and keep it wet until you can get to a dentist. The best liquid to put a tooth in is a special tooth-preservation product called Save-A-Tooth. If you’re unable to get a hold of this product, use cold milk, saliva, a saline solution, or water. 
5. Seek dental care immediately

Woodland Family Dental is one of Duluth, Minnesota’s top family dental offices. with over 50 five-star reviews on Google and Facebook, our team makes it our mission to provide the best dentistry for anyone that needs it. Our experienced team of dentists offers a wide array of dental services including general cleanings, cosmetic dentistry, and dental implants. Woodland Family Dental is here to help you with your dental needs. Not to mention our great location on Miller Trunk Highway right next to the mall in Duluth, Minnesota. Woodland Family Dental cares about helping our patients and accepts almost all insurances. Set up an appointment today and see why so many families love us. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date, get more tips, and learn about what our team is up to.

Thanks for reading What You Should Do If You Lose or Break a Tooth!

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