Emergency Care
Unexpected dental emergencies such as broken teeth or fillings, infected teeth or gums or injuries to the jaw, lips and mouth require immediate and specialised dental care. Immediate action is necessary to ensure minimal pain and disruption to the mouth and in some cases, tooth survival. If you are in pain, we will aim to see you as soon as possible – please contact us for assistance. Accidents do happen, and knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth.
What to do if a tooth is knocked out
Remain calm and act quickly.
- Locate the tooth and handling it gently by the crown, ensure it is clean. The crown is the smooth white part of the tooth that is normally visible in the mouth.
- If the root of tooth is dirty, and the patient is calm and conscious, ask them to gently suck the tooth clean. Alternatively, rinse the entire tooth in milk or very briefly in water, no more than one or two seconds.
- Immediately place the tooth back in the socket making sure it is facing the right way. Immediate replacement is essential and should ideally occur within 5 – 10 minutes of the tooth being knocked out.
- Hold the tooth in place by biting gently into a soft cloth or gauze. Aluminium foil may also be used to stablilise the tooth.
- If you are unable to replant the tooth back in the socket, keep it moist by putting it in a cup of milk, sealing it in plastic wrap or placing it in the conscious patients mouth, next to the cheek.
- Immediately seek dental treatment – time is critical to prevent permanent damage. Call us and we will help you.
Extreme care should be taken with a tooth that has been knocked out. Avoid the following:
- Do not handle the root of the tooth
- Do not scrape or rub the surface of the tooth
- Do not let the tooth dry out – keep it moist at all times
- Do not put the tooth in ice or hot water
- Avoid rinsing or storing the tooth in water for more than one or two seconds
- Do not remove any soft tissue fragments from the tooth