Apart from age, there are various factors that can lead to tooth loss, including poor oral health and an accident. Losing a tooth at an unexpected time, can leave you with many worries and pain. Thankfully, there are measures that you can take to save a tooth and fix your smile when you happen to ever lose a tooth.
The following are simple measures to help you reduce dental trauma and hopefully save your tooth before it’s too late:
Locate your tooth
When you have your tooth knocked out or cracked, make sure to find it immediately. While picking up your tooth avoid touching its roots. The roots can easily get damaged when dirt gets in it. Make sure to keep your tooth as clean as possible, as this will ensure that the tissue cells in the tooth roots are healthy and alive.
Replace the tooth back into its socket, if possible
This measure may not be suitable for everyone. If your injury is not very severe then you can try to replace your tooth back into its place before going to your dentist. This increases the chance of saving your tooth and gives your dentist an advantage to save the tooth.
Before you put it back into its socket, make sure your tooth is clean. Clean off any debris in the tooth before putting back into the mouth. If the damage is severe and you are not able to replace it, the best option for you is to store your tooth in a clean container and quickly go to your dentist.
Preserve your tooth in water or milk
Another way to make sure your tooth stays alive is to keep it in water or milk until you reach your dentist. This will help keep the tissue cells in the tooth roots alive and increase the chances of replacing the tooth back in the socket successfully.
Storing it in unflavored, low-fat, cold milk is a great option because of the neutral PH contained in milk, which works to preserve the tooth best. However, if you don’t have this right at your disposal, you can still use cold water, too!
Visit the dentist as quickly as possible
You should understand that the more you delay seeing your dentist the lesser the chances it is for saving your tooth. Visiting the dentist immediately can ensure the best possible result. The dentist can examine the damage and plan out the best possible treatment to save or replace your tooth.
If you recently lost your tooth or have a loose tooth that feels like it will come out anytime, it’s time to meet your dentist now! Call our office today to schedule an appointment. One of our experienced dentists will meet with you to talk about your options.