Tooth Emergencies
Portland, OR
 What do you do if your child gets hit in the mouth and damages their teeth?
The most important thing is to be calm and carry on. Seriously.
Calmly look in their mouth and see what the problem is:
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The tooth is gone. Where is it? Look for it in the mouth, pushed up into the gums, or on the ground.
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If you cannot find the tooth, it may have been pushed up into the gums and a dentist will have to take x-rays to see what to do.
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If you find the tooth, you can save it by very quickly putting it back into the bloody tooth socket. Minutes matter.
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The tooth surface is covered with tiny living cells that make up the ligaments holding the tooth into the jaw bone. Keeping these cells alive is critical and dry cells are dead cells. NEVER let the root dry but also do not use plain water because water will explode the cells. Instead, use spit or milk or blood to keep the cells properly hydrated. If the root is dirty, gently clean the root with spit or milk before putting it back into the socket.
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The blood in the socket is very nourishing for these cells and the best place in the world for the tooth root so putting it back in the socket right away is a top priority.
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If you cannot get the tooth back into the socket, the next best thing to do it put the tooth into your child’s cheek to cover it with spit or quickly use milk to store the tooth.
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Remember, minutes matter!
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Now immediately go to a dentist’s office to get x-rays and secure the tooth in position. |
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The tooth has been knocked out of position.
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Try to put it back into place as soon as possible. You may need a dentist to numb it first but try to reposition it yourself, if you can. |
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The tooth is badly broken. Look in the middle of the fracture for a red spot that might be the pulp.
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If you can find the broken tooth fragments, put them into a plastic bag with a tiny bit of water to keep the fragments hydrated and take them to the dentist to see if they can be glued back onto the tooth.
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The dentist might need to place a small nerve filling before bonding the tooth back into shape. |
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The tooth is chipped but no red spot is showing.
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Take some ibuprofen and/or acetaminophen and call the dentist for an appointment. |
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