Dental Dilemma: How to Handle a Lost Permanent Tooth

Although many dental problems are preventable with a consistent, twice-daily at home dental hygiene routine, some emergencies are completely unavoidable. For instance, you might bite into something too hard or sustain an injury that knocks out a tooth- yikes!

It’s natural to panic if you’ve just realized an adult tooth fell out, but try to take a few deep breaths to steady yourself. Then, continue reading to learn 3 steps to take to get help right away!

Step #1: Find the Tooth

It’s usually better for your dental health to place your natural tooth back in the socket to reintegrate with your jawbone if it’s still in good condition. However, you must act quickly if you hope to save your missing pearly white, because it’s only viable to be replanted for a short period of time. Typically, the likelihood of successfully seating it back in its socket decreases significantly if it’s been outside your mouth for 30 minutes or more.

Do your best to locate the tooth, taking care not to swallow any small pieces that might have remained in your mouth. When you find it, pick it up gently by the crown (the tooth-shaped portion) to avoid harming still-viable cells on the roots. Rinse it off, then if you’re able, try to place it back into its socket for safekeeping. Otherwise, store in a baggy or an airtight container with a small amount of milk or your saliva to keep it moist until you arrive at your dentist’s office.

Step #2: Address Aches

If you took a blow to the face or sustained some other injury that dislodged your tooth, you might still be in pain. Regardless of the cause, there’s no reason to live with unnecessary aches. You might find it helpful to place a cold compress or ice pack to the sore side of your face to reduce associated swelling and inflammation. As a bonus, this provides a well-deserved temporary numbing reprieve.

It’s usually also safe to take over-the-counter medications like Tylenol or ibuprofen to help with throbbing or facial distension. Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water can also provide some relief while simultaneously clearing away leftover food, debris, and bacteria.

Step #3: Call Your Dentist

Once you’ve located your tooth and have handled any immediate aches, it’s time to call your dentist to let them know what happened. If your general dentist offers emergency services and is close by, call them for a same-day appointment. Otherwise, you might want to research a nearby dentist who can handle urgent scenarios to reduce your drive time and increase the likelihood of saving your tooth.

Once you arrive for your appointment, they’ll examine your condition and let you know whether your tooth can be repurposed or if you should consider replacements.

About the Practice

At Blanco Circle Dental Care, you and your family benefit from two dentists with more than 30 years of combined experience. Dr. Hajdari is a skilled general dentist and Dr. Chehrehsa is an oral surgeon, and they work collaboratively to offer a comprehensive menu of services under one roof, including emergency dentistry. They offer same-day visits and two different types of sedation so that if you’re hurting, you don’t have to wait for relief. Then, they combine a compassionate approach with state-of-the-art equipment to quickly assess the problem and devise customized treatment plans to meet your needs. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (831) 422- 7838.