Table of Contents

• Start By Finding and Cleaning the Tooth
• Gently Try to Reinsert It
• If You Cannot Reinsert the Tooth, Keep It Moist
• Schedule an Emergency Appointment with Your Dentist
• Tips for Caring For Your Tooth After Professional Reinsertion
• Turn to Mills River Family Dental If You’ve Knocked Out a Tooth

As temperatures begin to rise, you may find yourself heading outside for a bit of Vitamin D. While this is a great way to spend time with loved ones and take advantage of the season, you may also find yourself dealing with an oral injury. In some cases, while out floating the French Broad River or biking in Pisgah National Forest, you may accidentally knock out a tooth. 

If you’ve knocked out a tooth, this can be incredibly distressing. You may worry about whether you can save the tooth or if prosthetics are your only restorative option. While knocking out a tooth is an incredibly stressful event, knowing what to do can make all the difference in protecting your long-term oral health. 

In this blog, we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide to ensure you’re doing everything in your power to protect your smile after you’ve knocked out a tooth. 

Start By Finding and Cleaning the Tooth

The first step to take if you’ve knocked out a tooth is finding it. If it has fallen out of your mouth, act quickly to ensure any remaining tissue is protected from dirt, debris, and potential animals or pests walking past. Additionally, if you’ve knocked out a tooth while out of the house, chances are that the tooth may be a little dirty.

While it is important that you clean the tooth, you should be mindful when doing this. You may be tempted to really scrub the tooth, but doing this can do more harm than good. Aggressively cleaning a dislodged tooth can remove any remaining living tissue, which is an essential part of successfully reattaching it. 

Instead of scrubbing the tooth, it is best to gently rinse it with milk, saliva, or water for a few seconds. This cleaning should only be used to address more significant dirt or debris buildup, and isn’t going to address potential bacteria exposure. However, with appropriate dental care, this shouldn’t be an immediate concern. 

Gently Try to Reinsert It

While this won’t always be possible, it is incredibly important that you attempt reinsertion if you have knocked out a tooth. Your gum tissue may be incredibly sensitive immediately following the dislodging, and may even be bleeding. Before you attempt to reinsert the tooth, get this bleeding under control, as it may not be possible otherwise. 

Once the bleeding is under control, try to carefully push the tooth back into its socket. When reinserted into its socket, the tooth should be as close to its normal orientation as possible. Once it is sitting in the socket, slowly and gently bite down on a clean piece of gauze, a clean cloth, or a damp paper towel. 

If you are struggling with reinsertion after you’ve knocked out a tooth, it is essential that you do not force it. When you force a tooth into the socket, this can do irreparable damage to the remaining root, tear the gum tissue, or injure the underlying bone. While immediate reinsertion is great, it is best to protect your overall oral health. 

If You Cannot Reinsert the Tooth, Keep It Moist

If you cannot reinsert it after you’ve knocked out a tooth, it is okay. There are things you can do to keep the tooth safe until you can seek dental care. A dry dislodged tooth has a much lower chance of surviving this injury, so you need to keep it moist until your dentist can get the tooth back into the socket. 

To keep it moist, you have a few reliable options. First, you can store the tooth in a small container of milk, which will protect the root cells. It can also be stored in a container of saliva, tucked into your cheek, or under your tongue. If you choose to store it in your mouth, be mindful not to swallow the tooth. 

Schedule an Emergency Appointment with Your Dentist

The final step in protecting yourself after you’ve knocked out a tooth is scheduling an appointment with a trusted dental team. It is best to see a dentist within one hour of the tooth being dislodged. Within this first hour, you have the best chance of successful reimplantation. Once at the dentist, they will begin proper professional reinsertion.

Your dentist will begin by numbing the area and ensuring the socket is free of debris. Once you’re numb and the socket is clean, they will shift the tooth back into position and use a splint to stabilize it in its socket. This may involve the use of a wire or composite material. This splint will need to stay in place for up to three weeks.

They may also perform a root canal if there are any damaged nerves and blood vessels. These often die following a major injury, putting you at an increased risk of discoloration and infection. By addressing this before it occurs, they can save you time and money, and help you avoid any major discomfort as a result of this injury. 

Tips for Caring For Your Tooth After Professional Reinsertion

It isn’t just the immediate dental care that is important after you’ve knocked out a tooth. Your aftercare steps also play a major role in how successful this reattachment is. In the immediate aftermath of your appointment, you should control swelling with ice pack use in 20-minute intervals and prescribed pain medications. 

Also, avoiding spitting, vigorous rinsing, and using straws, as this can lead to the tooth dislodging again. While actively healing, you should also discontinue tobacco use. Continuing to use tobacco products while healing can increase your risk of infection and delay healing. Finally, stick to a soft food diet.

In some cases, you may not have much of an appetite in the days after your procedure. Once your appetite has returned, it’s best to have soft foods like applesauce, mashed potatoes, smoothies, and eggs. When you return to your oral hygiene practice, be incredibly gentle to avoid irritating the tissue. 

Continue to monitor it for signs of swelling, sharp pain, or bite problems. If any problems emerge, reach out to your dentist for immediate support. You should also remember to attend all scheduled follow-up appointments. At these appointments, your dentist can ensure you’re healing as expected. 

Turn to Mills River Family Dental If You’ve Knocked Out a Tooth

If you’ve just knocked out a tooth in the Mills River, NC, area, don’t panic. Instead, reach out to our team at Mills River Family Dental for immediate assistance. Time is of the essence in these situations, and we understand just how important it is to get critical support. We are committed to helping you preserve your teeth after an oral injury. Whether you’ve reinserted the tooth yourself or need professional support, we’re dedicated to helping you preserve your smile.

If you have knocked out a tooth and need immediate dental support, contact our team to schedule an emergency appointment.