Dental Information
Read the following page - and remain calm. The less stressed you are, the less likely you'll make a mistake and possibly make things worse. The good news is that often, if the dentist is seen quickly, major damage can be averted.
Injuries to the mouth may include teeth that are knocked out (evulsed), forced out of position (extruded) or broken (fractured). Sometimes lips, gums or cheeks have cuts. Oral injuries are often painful, and should be treated by a dentist as soon as possible.
EVULSED TEETH
When a tooth is knocked out you should:
Immediately call your dentist for
an emergency appointment.
Attempt
to find the tooth.
Gently
rinse, but do not scrub the tooth to remove dirt or debris.
Place
the clean tooth in your mouth between the cheek and gum.
Do
not attempt to replace the tooth into the socket. This could cause further damage.
Get
to the dentist as soon as possible. If it is within a half hour of the injury,
it may be possible to reimplant the tooth.
If
it is not possible to store the tooth in the mouth of the injured person, (e.g.,
young child) wrap the tooth in a clean cloth or gauze and immerse in milk.
EXTRUDED TEETH
If the tooth is pushed out of place (inward or outward), it should be repositioned to its normal alignment with very light finger pressure. Do not force the tooth into the socket. Hold the tooth in place with a moist tissue or gauze. Again, it is vital that the injured individual be seen by a dentist within 30 minutes.
FRACTURED TEETH
How a fractured tooth is treated will depend on how badly it is broken. Regardless of the damage, treatment should always be determined by a dentist.
composite
restoration. In either case, you should treat the tooth with care for several
days.
MODERATE
FRACTURE - Moderate fractures include damage to the enamel, dentin and/or pulp.
If the pulp is not permanently damaged, the tooth may be restored with a full
permanent crown. If pulpal damage does occur further dental treatment will be
required.
SEVERE
FRACTURE - Severe fractures often mean a traumatized tooth with a slim chance
of recovery.
INJURIES TO THE SOFT TISSUES OF THE MOUTH
Injuries to the inside of the mouth include tears, puncture wounds and lacerations to the cheek, lips or tongue. The wound should be cleaned right away and the injured person taken to the emergency room for the necessary suturing and wound repair.
Bleeding from a tongue laceration can be reduced by pulling the tongue forward and using gauze to place pressure on the wound area.
We welcome any questions or comments you may have.