Losing a tooth, especially if you’re an adult, can be an extremely upsetting event. Whether the tooth is lost through playing sports or exercising – like mountain biking, an accident, or even simply biting into your meal, it can end an outing or even a vacation very quickly. If you lose your tooth through trauma, it is often best to save the tooth to see if it can be replaced. If your natural tooth is preserved, it can help you avoid more invasive procedures you weren’t expecting, such as dental implants.
How to Preserve a Lost Tooth
The first thing you should do if you have lost a tooth is to clean it off. Use warm, soapy water to wash the tooth remove any bacteria. Once the tooth is clean, rinse your mouth to remove any debris and bacteria from the tooth socket and attempt to push the tooth back into place. Hold it in place if necessary and contact a dentist for emergency dental care. This is why it is important, even though the scenario may be very unlikely, to know where a dentist is when you are on vacation or someplace on business.
If it will take more than two hours to see a dentist, place the tooth in cold water or milk. This may help keep the tooth root alive to enable a dentist to place it. The sooner you can get to a dentist is obviously the best solution, but you may preserve your tooth in water or milk for up to 24 hours.
If it doesn’t look like the tooth can be preserved, there are many options to replace your missing tooth to restore form and function to your oral health.
To find out more about what to do if you have lost a tooth or have a dental emergency, contact Janet or Rachel at Whitmore Dental to arrange a consultation by calling Whitmore Dental at 877-779-4486. We are conveniently located at 5932 West Parker Road, Suite 600, Plano, TX 75093.
