If you’re like most people, you cringe at the thought of your teeth falling out of your mouth. After all, that’s not supposed to happen! Fortunately, if it does happen, there are things you can do to fix the problem before it gets worse or before it happens again. Here are some ways to deal with a missing tooth so that your smile looks its best and you feel comfortable and confident when talking to others.
First, Don’t Panic
Let’s be honest, losing a tooth is scary. However, panicking isn’t going to make it hurt any less—and if you can get past that fear and assess your situation rationally, you’ll have much better luck finding a solution that works for you. You could try to stop or limit how much it hurts by biting down on something cold or holding an ice cube against your face while giving yourself time to think about what comes next. Because your body is likely in shock right now, take note of how well you feel before taking further action—some people might even want to lie down until they calm down. The most important thing right now is staying as comfortable as possible. After that, there are several things you can do:
Next Steps
You probably aren’t going to lose a tooth every day, but you never know when it might happen. When your tooth falls out, you’ll need to think about the next steps: You could opt for a quick fix like a temporary crown or wait until you can get in to see your dentist. Here are some tips on what to do after you lose a tooth—and what not to do.
After Care
Don’t panic. Give yourself time to calm down and then look at what you can do to fix your tooth. If you have a dentist, call them and make an appointment. For most people, getting a temporary inlay or crown while they wait for their permanent restoration is perfectly reasonable. Keep it clean! It’s better not to put any food or liquids into your mouth until you see your dentist so that you can reduce your risk of infection.
You Just Lost A Tooth: What To Do
Whether it fell out while you were eating or got knocked out in an accident, losing a tooth can be a traumatic experience. Luckily, there are some steps you can take to ensure the best possible outcome if you lose one of your kids losing teeth. These include: (1) immediately rinse your mouth with warm water; (2) go to the nearest dental clinic or emergency room; and (3) call your dentist immediately once you get home or to help calm any panic attacks that may have come as a result of the accident. Here’s more on what to do if your tooth falls out and what NOT to do!
Don’t Panic
Some people start shaking, fainting, and calling for help right after they lose a tooth. It’s not an uncommon reaction to have (particularly when you are standing in front of a mirror). However, it’s important to remember that your body is going through shock. When you fall and hurt yourself, your natural impulse is to flinch or try to protect yourself from further injury. Your nervous system does a similar thing if you lose a tooth — it jolts or reacts violently to what seems like another possible trauma (your teeth falling out). If you find yourself feeling faint or dizzy after losing a tooth; stay calm and sit down in order to keep from hurting yourself further.
Stay Calm And Get Help
Once you’ve found your tooth, it’s important to stay calm. Stress can mess with clotting and put you at greater risk for infection. The next step is to get in touch with a dentist or oral surgeon who can reattach your tooth. If that doesn’t sound like an option (or you have several teeth that have fallen out), get in touch with an emergency dentist. Don’t try to suck on your tooth or rinse it off—that could cause further injury and bacteria buildup. Instead, place your tooth back into its socket and swish warm salt water around it for about five minutes to encourage clotting.
Check For The Root
If you just lost a tooth and can see where it fell out, stick your tongue inside your mouth to feel for any remnants of a root orbit of gum. If you feel something attached to your gums, remove it with a clean pair of tweezers and contact your dentist immediately. You’ll need to have an exam right away so that they can make sure nothing is left behind or growing into an infected area in your mouth. Be sure to tell them exactly how you lost it—as well as how long ago—so they know what type of filling material should be used for any repair work that needs to be done.
Call The Dentist
If you’re not in a lot of pain, call your dentist to get advice on what to do. But no matter what he or she says, don’t push it back into your mouth! The longer you keep it out, and especially if it goes into an oral bacterial environment, the chances for successful reimplantation go down rapidly. You may be tempted to push it back in and fill in around it, but there’s a much better chance of success if you seek dental care as soon as possible. If you don’t know any dentist, you can search for terms like “dentist near me Greenville“ on the internet and it should give you some directions.
Rinse Out Mouth
Rinse out your mouth with water and brush your remaining teeth thoroughly. This may prevent bacteria in your mouth from spreading to other teeth and gums, which could cause an infection. If you’re not sure if a tooth is truly lost, take a look at it under strong light; if there’s no structure remaining on either side of where it broke off, it should be removed by a dentist or oral surgeon.
