First, don’t panic! The root of the healthy tooth is not connected directly to the bone. The root is surrounded by fibers that on the one hand connect the tooth to the bone, and on the other hand protect the root from damage and contact with the bone structure.
When there is an injury, and a tooth is completely knocked loose, the fibers surrounding the tooth are cut off from the blood supply, and they start to die. If kept cut off, the root of the tooth can become damaged, and the tooth will be lost completely, requiring comprehensive rehabilitative treatment.
However, clinical experience shows that if the tooth is returned to its place within 15-20 minutes, the fibers can recover and take hold of the tooth, protecting the root. Therefore, returning the tooth to its place after the injury can save your child can save a lot of discomfort.
What needs to be done to prevent the loss of the tooth?
- Search immediately the tooth.
- Rinse it for a few seconds in tap water to remove large dirt particles.
- Be careful not to scrub the tooth and don’t clean it with soap or another cleanser.
- To hold the tooth by its top and replace immediately it its place, give the child a piece of gauze, tissue or cloth and have him bite down gently to keep the tooth in place.
- Go immediately to your dentist or dental clinic for treatment.
It is critical to return the tooth to its place immediately, and not to wait until you arrive at the dentist or dental clinic!
What to do if the child can't or does not want to return the tooth to its place?
- Put the tooth as it is into a small container of milk (if there is not milk available, the tooth can simply be kept in the child’s mouth)
- Go immediately to your dentist or dental clinic for treatment.
What will the dentist do?
- X-ray area of area of the damaged tooth and examine the other teeth to be sure no others were hurt as well.
- Fix the wounded tooth temporarily to the adjacent teeth that were not hurt
- Execute root canal in the tooth that was dislodged.
- If needed will give prescription for an antibiotic and an anti tetanus shot
- Will give instructions to keep the tooth and the surrounding areas very clean, to prevent infection of the fibers and to enable to them to recover.
- Set an appointment to return for another examination, to check for complications, in case they develop.
Further information and treatment of all types of injuries to baby teeth or permanent teeth is available in the Childrens Dentistry Department, of the School of Dentistry at Hebrew University and Hadassah in Ein Kerem Jerusalem. Emergency cases are treated Monday through Thursday between the hours 08:00 to 16:00. Call 02-6777635 or 02-6776178.