Emergency Tooth Care 101: What to Do if You Knock Out Your Tooth

Once upon a time, when you were a child, losing a tooth was exciting. It was a rite of passage and it may have gotten you a bonus from the tooth fairy. Today, as an adult, to lose a tooth is not exciting. It can hurt, it is almost always unexpected, and it can be scary. You may walk through your day wondering if you will now have a missing tooth for life or will be stuck paying for expensive procedures.

The good news is that there are California dentists out there who can help. Read on to find out what you can do right after you lose a tooth and then give us a call at (800) 407-0161 to learn more about making an appointment to get your tooth fixed.

There is almost nothing we can’t fix

The good news is that cosmetic dentistry has advanced to the point that we can fix just about anything. If you get to us too late to save your tooth then we can create a replacement that will be almost indistinguishable from your real tooth. Dental implants can look and feel just like the tooth. There are two parts to these implants: A metal screw that goes into the gap and is bonded to the bone and a crown that screws into the base. We shape and color this tooth to blend in perfectly with your mouth.

Another option is to use a partial denture. This used to be the only way to treat a lost tooth, and it is still often a good option. However, though they can solve the issue of a gap where a missing tooth is, they are not as comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. In fact, we only recommend that you wear it when you need it and take it out when you are at home or when it’s not needed. For this reason, we often suggest implants but we will go over all your options with you.

What to do if you lose a tooth

Now that you know what we can do if you lose a tooth, let’s discuss what you should do. First of all, never rinse it off. Too much water could actually kill the cells that are on the surface of the root. These cells could help us re-attach the tooth. Instead, put the tooth back into where it fell out and get to the dentist’s office as soon as possible. It may seem gross to put it back where it was, but this could be the difference between losing your tooth and saving your tooth.

If you are unable to put it back in place then put the tooth into a cup of milk. The milk will prevent the root cells from swelling up and bursting as they would if it were placed in water. Then reach out to California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 as soon as possible.