Losing An Adult Tooth: What You Need To Know

Losing a permanent tooth can be a scary situation for anybody. Not only can accidents involved in losing a tooth be painful, but the resulting blood loss can also be shocking. Hopefully, you'll never be in a position where you lose an adult tooth, but if you are, knowing what steps to take following the incident can increase your chances of being able to save your tooth.

Save the Tooth (If Possible)

If you are able to locate your tooth after it becomes dislodged, do your best to recover the tooth and hold onto it. You should bring it with you to your dentist. Do not attempt to rinse or clean the tooth off, as doing so can remove important tissue that may otherwise be used to help save your tooth. It may seem strange, but placing your tooth in a small container with a little bit of milk can help to preserve the tissues and protect your tooth until you get to a dentist.

Apply Pressure to Stop Bleeding

More than likely, you're going to experience a fair amount of bleeding when you unexpectedly lose an adult tooth. It's important to reduce the flow of bleeding as much as possible. The best way to do this is to bite down on a small roll of gauze. The bleeding may not stop immediately, but so long as you keep biting down on the gauze with a fair amount of pressure, it should slow down significantly over the course of a few minutes. Bring some clean gauze with you to change out as needed on your way to the dentist.

Don't Delay Seeing a Dentist

No matter what time of day or night you lose an adult tooth, it's important to see a dentist as soon as possible. If it's after-hours for your regular dentist, an emergency dentist should be open 24 hours a day. Seeing a dentist right away is important in treating any damage to your mouth as well as possibly saving your tooth. With prompt treatment, your dentist may actually be able to put your existing tooth back into the socket, but this isn't something you should attempt alone.

Hopefully, you'll never need to put any of this information into practice. However, if you do or if a loved one experiences sudden tooth loss, remembering these tips will help you follow the most important steps for prompt treatment.


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