My child’s permanent tooth has just had a dental injury and/or the tooth has come out completely-what should I do?

First, if the tooth is only fractured part of the way off, call your dentist immediately. The child will need an x-ray, evaluation and treatment right away to help prevent further complications.

If the tooth has come all the way out (called and avulsed tooth), there are a few things which need to be done and all must be done quickly for the tooth to have any chance of surviving. First, find the tooth and lightly wipe it off with a moist, clean cloth to remove any debris. Ideally, the tooth should be placed in the child or parent’s cheek in an area where it won’t be accidentally swallowed or inhaled. (I know, pretty gross, but it is for the sake of your child). If this is too upsetting or you are afraid it will be swallowed, the tooth can be placed in a glass of milk.

You should immediately take your child to the dentist, ideally within the first 10 minutes of the occurrence. The dentist will likely try to place the tooth back into the socket once it is clean and lacking debris which might cause later infection. The tooth will then likely be splinted to the adjacent teeth for support, to help minimize movement. This support will help the tooth re-tighten back into the socket and is sometimes left for up to two to three weeks. The tooth will likely need a root canal since the nerve was severed, but this likely won’t be done for two or three days after.

If the tooth has been out of the mouth for longer than fifteen minutes, your child still needs to see the dentist immediately to avoid more complication or possible permanent loss of the tooth. Bring the tooth with you as mentioned above.

If you are far from the dentist, the tooth is clean and you feel that the tooth is intact, you can attempt to put it back in the socket yourself. Be sure that if you are going to attempt this, you place it in the correct way! The child should immediately be taken to the dentist for an evaluation. If the tooth cannot be found, the dentist may refer you to the emergency room for a chest x-ray to be sure that it has not been inhaled during the accident.

I won’t go into great discussion about the further treatment sequence in dealing with an avulsed tooth, as it is varies with the child and the extent of the injury. The biggest point being that you should take your child to the dentist immediately to avoid further complications which can be both emotionally and financially draining.

The other item I want to discuss is something called “Hank’s Solution” or “Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution.” This is a special liquid formulated by a scientist that is extremely compatible with living tissues and can help to stabilize an avulsed tooth until it can be placed back in the mouth. This solution is better than milk or any others that I am aware of and can help to increase the likelihood that the tooth will be successfully re-implanted. The only catch is that you have to have it before the injury happens! A great addition to your home first-aid assortment is the “save-a-tooth” kit. It Uses the specially formulated pH balanced solution, as well as a unique removable basket and net container that protects tooth root cells crucial to the success of the re-implantation process.

Tags: Avulsed Tooth, Cheek, Child Dentist, Debris, Dental Injury, Fifteen Minutes, Glass Of Milk, Nerve, Occurrence, Permanent Tooth, Root Canal, Sake, Teeth, X Ray