Has Your Tooth Fallen Out? Here’s What You Can Do?

It's possible to have a permanent tooth that has fallen out, to be implanted back into your gums. But what should one do if it is a baby tooth?

It can be really upsetting to lose a tooth. Tooth loss can affect your speech, eating, overall oral function, and your smile looks. Both children and adults lose more than 5 million teeth annually. A knocked-out tooth is referred to as "avulsed" by dentists. Accidental or traumatic tooth loss does not always indicate permanent tooth loss. 

The tooth can be saved and properly replanted so that it will last for years to come by taking the right steps and receiving the necessary emergency care. Your original tooth can be implanted again in a relatively quick period of time, just an hour or so. Baby tooth loss is completely natural for children and a significant developmental milestone. Learn how to care for your child once a tooth falls out.

What if it's an adult tooth?

Some individuals frequently think there is nothing that can be done to save a tooth that has been knocked out. This, however, is not at all the case. What should one do, then, if a permanent tooth is lost? Your dentist might be able to save your tooth, whether it's your front tooth or molar tooth if you act swiftly and arrive there within the next 30 minutes. Here are some easy steps you should take after losing a tooth to ensure that it survives:

1.     Do not pick up a lost tooth by the root once you find it. Instead, hold it by the crown. Your missing tooth won't suffer further harm if you do this.

2.     If necessary, rinse your tooth with cool water after picking it up. Use no cleaning products or soaps. Additionally, avoid drying or scrubbing the teeth after rinsing.

3.     Use your fingers to gently press your tooth back into its socket. Bite on the gauze piece slowly to keep it from moving. You'll probably have a better chance of successfully re implant your tooth if you use saliva. 

4.     You must keep the tooth wet if you can't put it back into the socket. While you wait to see your dentist, you can keep your tooth in a cup of milk. You must be wondering why you would put a tooth in milk. The root of your lost tooth won't dry out if you keep it in milk. 

The milk has beneficial proteins that maintain a healthy acid-to-alkaline balance, as well as sugars and antibacterial components that support cell growth. Because of this, milk makes a great container for storing your knocked-out tooth.

5.     To properly re implant your loose permanent tooth, you must visit your dentist within 30 minutes.

What if it's a child's tooth?

Baby or primary teeth often begin to erupt around the first 6 months of birth. This process lasts for several years, until around age 10 or 12. Although it's normal for your youngster to want to wiggle a loose tooth, it's never a good idea to use floss or a string to pull the tooth out. However, an extremely loose tooth could make it challenging to chew or brush.

The American Dental Association advises that in those situations if your child is okay with it, you place a tissue over the loose tooth in your child's mouth and gently squeeze it. If the tooth is ready to fall out, it will do so painlessly.

1.     The gums frequently bleed a little after a baby tooth is lost. If the bleeding persists, instruct your child to rinse their mouth with water and bite down on some gauze or a fresh cloth. It should be over in about an hour.

2.     A fast saltwater rinse could be quite helpful to ensure your child's gums are healthy now that the tooth has fallen out and there is a small open wound. Have your youngster swirl some lukewarm water with a tiny bit of salt in it (about half a teaspoon per cup of water). It could be unpleasant, but it can be beneficial.

3.     When a tooth is lost, the remaining gums, in some cases, may swell as a response, perhaps because the tooth was extracted prematurely. Children's ibuprofen can be helpful in this situation but consult your pharmacist or dentist first before giving your child any oral medication. You must give them the proper dosage and ensure they receive it. Visit a dentist if you're ever concerned about swelling.

You should begin practicing good dental hygiene as soon as your child's first baby tooth erupts. Remind your child of the value of good dental hygiene as they begin to lose their baby teeth. For instance:
 

Remind the children to clean their teeth at least twice every day. 
Assist your kid in brushing their teeth every day.
Eat a balanced diet and avoid sugary foods and drinks.
Ensure your kid gets frequent dental check-ups.
 

Your child's permanent teeth can last a lifetime with the right care.

Conclusion

Sometimes it's easy to put the adult tooth back in its proper position. Water will be used by your dentist to flush any dirt out of the socket. The tooth will then be reinserted at that point. Re-implanting the tooth as soon as feasible is crucial. The ideal time for this to happen is immediately after the accident.

The dentist may decide to delay doing a root canal or execute one straight away. How long the tooth was out of the mouth, among other things, will determine the best course of action. In either instance, the dentist will use a soft wire and/or composite material to splint the avulsed tooth to the teeth on either side. For several days, this will be used to secure the tooth in place. Some children are afraid when their first tooth falls out, so making it a joyous occasion might help them feel more at ease and ready for the rest of their baby teeth to fall out.