As long as you know what to do when your child knocks out a tooth, you can react with confidence. The calmer the situation, the better your child’s chances of a good outcome.
Dr. Jason Lane suggests the following steps:
1. Locate the tooth.
There is a possibility the tooth was partially fractured instead of knocked out. If it was a baby tooth, then just focus on calming your toddler and stopping the bleeding.
2. Clean the tooth.
If it looks like a permanent (adult) tooth was displaced, hold it by the crown and rinse it in a bowl of milk without scrubbing it, as this could damage tiny fibers that aid in reattachment.
3. Reinsert the tooth.
Carefully place the tooth back in its socket. It’s okay if it isn’t perfectly oriented – being back in place will keep it safe and protected until we can look at it. If you aren’t able to put the tooth back, bring it in a secured container of milk to our Wasilla dentist.
4. See Dr. Lane ASAP.
Try to contact Lane Family Dental to find out when we can see your child.
Whether you were able to reinsert the tooth or not, it’s imperative that Dr. Lane has a look at it to see what can be done. If the tooth winds up being a loss, he will discuss options for eventually filling in the gap.
Don’t let the next dental emergency catch you off-guard! Contact our Wasilla dental office today to plan a time to meet Dr. Lane. That way, you’ll know who to call in the event your child knocks out a tooth.
Posted on Behalf of Lane Family Dental
