Dr Tim Hart BDS

Care - Comfort - Experience
(02) 9412 2295

Help! I just lost a tooth!

Help! I just lost a tooth!

When you’re a child losing a baby tooth is exciting! It usually means a few dollars in the piggy bank and the excitement as a new tooth emerges… However, as an adult losing your permanent teeth can be scary and quite traumatic.

If this is the case, and you’ve just lost a tooth here’s a few helpful things you can do to help you stay calm and save your smile.

Handle Your Tooth With Care

Sometimes the tooth may be chipped or pushed back into the mouth or sadly, it may be laying in the dirt or the sand. Most importantly stay calm as the tooth can be replanted successfully if done within the first hour following its loss.

If The Tooth Is Completely Avulsed

 

  • Wash the tooth and store it in milk or your own saliva as this helps keep the root healthy enough to be re-planted.
  • Get to a dentist asap for an assessment, ideally within an hour. This is where having a regular family Dentist will greatly benefit you as your dentist knows your mouth and will give priority to fit in regular patients.

Your dentist will re-implant the tooth where possible and splint it to the adjacent teeth for 6 weeks after which you may require further root canal treatment.

Whatever the situation get yourself to your preferred dentist as soon as possible, time is of the essence as studies show that re implanting teeth is less successful if performed hours following tooth loss. If the tooth doesn't take then talk to your dentist about the possibility of a dental implant.

Your dentist can assess the severity of the trauma and act quickly to save any future headaches and additional surgery costs. Not to mention the Faster you act, the less amount of time you will be in pain for. Losing a tooth can be really painful!

Depending on the nature of the accident and the damage to the tooth, sometimes trauma to gums and lips may first require cleaning and suturing. If the tooth has been lightly chipped it can be restored easily and quickly and will be unnoticeable.

However, if the chip is severe and the nerve may be damaged further treatment will be necessary and more involved than a simple chipped tooth. Your dentist will be able to assess this by examination.

Avoiding Further Damage

Your teeth need to last a long time, so looking after them is crucial to their life expectancy. When participating in any sport or activity where there’s a risk of falling or receiving blows to the face, be sure to always wear the correct safety equipment such as helmets, face masks and mouthguards preferably a better one custom fitted by your dentist.

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