|
|
Site Contents:
|
What do you do? Do the right thing & save a tooth!Do the wrong thing & lose a tooth! The American Association of Endodontistsspecialists who treat many ‘knocked out’ teeth) recommends the following: 1. Where possible, put the tooth back in the socket immediately! (The most important thing is to get the root of the tooth immersed in the person’s own blood!) >Pick the tooth up by the top (crown part of the tooth) and check the root for dirt or debris. >If needed, gently clean the root; rinsing it off with water is best but you could use a tissue or cloth to gently wipe off debris. Remember to be very gentle with the thin membrane on the root and to waste no time - since time is the enemy.>Do your best to put the tooth back in the socket so that it looks like it did before. The wound is usually numb at first so it doesn’t hurt. If you can’t get the tooth in straight or the tooth won’t stay in place, that is OK the important thing is to just get it in the socket where it will nourished by the patient’s blood. >You must see a dentist as soon as possible. Be sure the tooth stays in the socket until you get to the dentist! [We, at Olive Tree Dental, are experienced & would be happy to help (310) 944-4304.] >Be sure that the patient sees a physician about a tetanus shot as soon as possible after the accident. 2. What if I can’t put the tooth back in the socket? >The most important thing is to get the tooth into the next best nutrient solution that you can quickly obtain. > The best is "Hanks Balanced Salt Solution" (HBSS)- it is available as a "Tooth Transporting Sol." in many drug stores. School nurses or sport coaches should keep some HBSS on hand - so nurses & coaches call our office for an inexpensive (maybe free!) source.> Alternative nutrient solutions numbered from most desirable to least desirable are: 1) milk, 2) table salt solution, 3) place the tooth in the patient’s cheek area where it will be bathed in saliva but be sure there is no danger of swallowing the tooth, or 4) plain water.Remember that the. most important thing for the long term survival of the tooth is to keep the delicate tissue membrane alive that covers the root of the tooth - speedy placement in the nutrient media is critical. And if this membrane is kept alive, the tooth will probably remain healthy indefinitely! |
|
|
