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Inverell NSW 2360

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First Aid for your Teeth

13th February 2021

If you do have an accident and you had some trauma to your teeth it is always best to consult a dentist as soon as possible.  Do not assume anything ,Teeth can become cracked, chipped or loose from accidents and failure to get them checked by your dentist may result in otherwise avoidable long term damage. 

Get in contact with us as soon as possible

Here are a few points to note before you reach the dentist.

 If the teeth as completely knocked out teeth 

Deciduous (baby) teeth

If your child knocks out a ‘baby’ tooth, remain calm and follow the steps listed below:

  1. Find the tooth, and hold it by the crown only, not the root. 

  2. If it is a baby tooth, do not reinsert back into the mouth. If you are unsure, place the tooth in milk or saliva to transport it to your dentist.  
  3. See your dentist straight away.

NOTE: The crown is the part of the tooth visible inside the mouth while the root anchors the tooth to the jawbone and is not normally visible. Depending on your child’s age, the baby tooth may not have much root structure remaining. This is because the root resorbs for the tooth to become loose before falling out. 

Permanent (adult) teeth

Remain calm and act quickly, ideally try to see your dentist within 30 minutes.

  1. Find the tooth and hold it by the crown only, not the root surface. 
  2. If the tooth is dirty, rinse it in milk or tap water very briefly. Do not scrub it.
  3. Place the tooth back in position inside the mouth. 
  • Make sure it is facing the right way around
  • Gently bite down on soft cloth or tissue or use aluminium foil or your mouthguard           to hold it in place.
  1. If you can’t replant the tooth, transport it to your dentist in milk or saliva. Do not store in water. 

    NOTE: The crown is the part of the tooth visible inside the mouth while the root anchors the tooth to the jawbone and is not visible normally.  

 Do not:

  • Do not wrap the tooth in paper towel or a serviette.
  • Do not store the tooth in water when transporting it to the dentist.
  • Do not scrub the root surface of the tooth when rinsing it.
  • Do not delay seeing a dentist, the sooner you do, the better the long-term outcome may be.  

Dental injuries

Alternate forms of trauma to the teeth can include injuries causing a tooth or multiple teeth to become; 

  1. Moved from their original position (e.g. pushed backwards)
  • Try to move the teeth gently back to their original position and close the mouth with a soft cloth or tissue between the front teeth. 
  • Cracked, chipped or fractured 
  1. If you find the fractured tooth fragment, take it with you to the dentist.
  2. Loose/mobile – see a dentist.
  3. Pushed up into the gums and bone – the tooth may no longer be visible

For any of these types of trauma, it is best to visit your dentist as soon as possible.