Stop Tooth Pain in its Tracks

Posted on: 17 December 2014

You never expect to see your child knock their tooth out but now that it's happened, you need to know what to do. What you do in the next few minutes may determine whether or not your child loses their tooth permanently. Here are the steps you'll need to take to try and save your child's tooth.

Stop The Bleeding

If your child's mouth is bleeding, you'll need to stop it. If you have access to medical gauze, you'll want to roll a few pieces up and place it in your child's mouth. Have your child bite down on the gauze to stop the bleeding. If you don't have gauze, you can use paper towels, or even a clean towel.

Find The Tooth

While you're working to stop the bleeding, you should have someone else look for the tooth that was knocked out. It may be difficult to find, but if you have the tooth, the dentist may be able to prevent your child from having permanent tooth loss. When the tooth is found, be sure that it is not picked up by the root.

Clean The Tooth

Now that you have the tooth, you'll need to clean it off. Carefully place the tooth in the palm of your hand and rinse the tooth off with clean water. You'll want to remove as much of the dirt and blood as possible. Once you have the tooth cleaned, you'll need to preserve the tooth for transport to the dentist.

Preserve The Tooth

If you can, have your child place the tooth between their gums and the side of their mouth. However, if that's not possible, you'll want to preserve it in milk. Place some milk in a plastic container. Carefully place the tooth in the liquid. Don't drop the tooth into the liquid or you might damage the root.

Take Your Child And The Tooth To The Dentist

As soon as you have the tooth preserved, you'll be ready to take your child to the dentist. Be sure to call ahead so that the dentist knows that you're coming in with a tooth. Your dentist will examine the tooth and decide if it can be reinserted into your child's mouth.

If the root is intact, your dentist will be able to replace the tooth. However, if the root is damaged, your dentist may have to use a dental implant to replace the lost tooth, especially if it's a permanent tooth that your child lost.

You never know when an accident will happen. If your child has had a tooth knocked out, it's important that you follow these simple procedures. Your dentist may be able to prevent permanent tooth loss. Contact a dentist like Salem Family & Cosmetic Dentistry for dental emergencies.