Party Get Out Of Hand? 3 Steps To Take If Your Tooth Has Been Knocked Out

Things got a little crazy at the holiday party and you ended up getting a tooth knocked out. The next steps you take are very important. In fact, they could determine whether or not you lose the tooth permanently. Here are three steps you'll need to take before you head to the dentist's office.

Find and Preserve the Tooth

If your tooth has been knocked out, you need to find the tooth as soon as possible. It's going to need to be properly preserved for the dentist. Your dentist may be able to place it back in the socket and prevent permanent loss. It's important to note that you shouldn't pick the tooth up by the root, or you risk damaging it. Instead, pick the tooth up by the tip. Once you have the tooth, place it in a small container of milk. The milk will preserve the tooth and prevent the root from drying out. You can also use lukewarm water if you don't have access to milk.

Apply Pressure

Your mouth may bleed quite a bit. If it is, you'll need to stop the bleeding as soon as possible. Here's a simple method to get the bleeding under control. First, soak a tea bag in cold water. Squeeze out the excess water and place the tea bag directly on your gums. Bite down on the tea bag for about 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, remove the tea bag. If you're still bleeding, place a fresh tea bag in your mouth and bite down for another 3 minutes.

Kill the Pain

You might be experiencing pain at the wound site. If you are, there are a few natural ways to dull the pain until you can get to the dentist. Here are two quick ways to help get rid of the pain.

Clove Oil

If you have cloves in your spice cabinet, you can use them to dull the pain. Smash a few cloves until they're a soft, powdery consistency. Place the cloves in a small amount of olive oil and let the mixture sit for about 2 minutes. This will allow the cloves to soften. Dip a cotton ball in the oil. Now, put the compress in your mouth between your cheek and gums. Leave the compress in place until you get to the dentist.

Salt Water

Salt water is a great way to dull the pain and sanitize the wound. Put 2 tablespoons of salt in a small glass and then add warm water. Mix the solution well to dissolve the salt. Gently rinse your mouth with the solution for about 2 minutes. Don't rinse too briskly or you risk dislodging the blood clot, which will make the wound site start bleeding again. Spit the salt water into the sink and repeat the process several times.

If you've knocked out your tooth, don't panic. The steps described above will help you preserve the tooth and control the bleeding until you can get to a dentist like Children's Dentistry of Lake County.


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