How To Deal With a Knocked Out Tooth
- February 27, 2009
- 7,907 Views
Voice Over Artist
Peter Coleman
Writer
Howcast Studios
A childhood visit from the tooth fairy is one thing, but having a permanent tooth knocked out is another, distinctly less enjoyable affair. Act fast and it could be a temporary one.
You Will Need
- Sterile gauze pads
- Cup
- Water
- Moistened tea bag
- Whole milk
Step 1: Find tooth
Find your tooth—or piece of tooth—as quickly as possible.
Step 2: Pick up by tip
Pick it up by the tip only—not the roots.
Step 3: Apply gauze
Apply sterile gauze to the socket where the tooth was knocked out to staunch the bleeding.
Step 4: Gently rinse tooth
Gently rinse the tooth in a cup of water.
Move fast—a dentist has the best chance of reimplanting a tooth within 30 minutes—but very gently. Don’t try to wipe the tooth clean or hold it under running water.
Step 5: Place tooth in socket
Place the tooth back into its socket.
Do this for adults only—children may swallow the tooth.
Step 6: Place gauze pad
Place a gauze pad or a moistened tea bag over the tooth, between the bottom and upper teeth, and very gently close your mouth to hold it in place.
If you are unable to place the tooth back in the socket, submerge it in a cup of whole milk or your own saliva—not water—until you can get to the dentist. Transporting the tooth dry can cause permanent nerve damage to the tooth within a few minutes.
Step 7: Seek emergency care
Seek emergency care immediately. If you cannot get to a dentist right away, go to a hospital emergency room—and don’t forget the tooth!
No one’s sure exactly how the tooth fairy myth started, but its modern version—a fairy that replaces a shed baby tooth under a pillow with money or candy—didn’t show up until the early 1900s.
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Comments (6)
One of my favorites from all your videos!
over 2 years ago by HeatherM
eeewww.
a cup of your own saliva?
gross
over 2 years ago by nikkipie
saliva has in built microrganisms that have antibacterial properties. ie saliva will kill any infectious bacteria that the tooth is exposed too.
over 2 years ago by Ian091
This Howcast is inaccurate! NEVER put a knocked out tooth in water! It will kill the root cells.
Teeth will begin to die in 15 minutes, so you need a storage medium to keep teeth alive until you can get to a dentist. The best option is to use a tooth saving kit like Save-A-Tooth.
over 2 years ago by stephankrasner
Save-A-Tooth kits are not available in Australia
over 2 years ago by Ian091
Save-A-Tooth Kits are available to anyone via the internet. Just go to http://www.saveatooth.com
over 2 years ago by stephankrasner
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