How to save a tooth

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Carey Duncan
  • 3rd Dental Squadron
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  February is National Children's Dental Health Month. The 3rd Dental Squadron would like to provide parents and caregivers with some dental advice on steps to take if your tooth gets knocked out. 

Alaska is known for its many outdoor recreational activities such as sledding, hockey, baseball and skiing, just to name a few. These activities can be fun, but accidents do happen. According to the American Association of Endodontists, an estimated five million teeth are accidentally knocked out of adults and children each year. 

With the proper emergency action, a tooth that has been knocked out of its socket can often be successfully replanted and last for years. It is important to be prepared and know what to do if this happens to you or someone with you. The key is to act quickly, yet calmly, and follow these simple steps: 

· Pick up the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface); not the root.
Locate the tooth immediately; do not leave it at the site of the accident. The tooth should be handled carefully. Touch only the crown to minimize injury to the root surface where the reattachment cells are located. 

· If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse the tooth with the milk or saline water, remembering not to handle the root surface. Do not use soap or chemicals. Do not scrub the tooth. Do not dry the tooth and do not wrap in a tissue or cloth. 

· Reposition the tooth in its socket (area in the gum where tooth came out) immediately, if possible. 

The sooner the tooth is replaced, the greater the likelihood it will survive. To reinsert, carefully push the tooth into the socket with the fingers, or position above the socket and close mouth slowly. Once repositioned in the socket, hold the tooth in place with fingers or by gently biting down on it. 

· Keep the tooth moist at all times. The tooth must not be left outside the mouth to dry. If it cannot be replaced in the socket, place it in one of the following : 

- Emergency tooth preservation kit (purchasable online)
- Milk
- Mouth (next to cheek) 

Milk is the most commonly available solution that is compatible with the reattachment cells on the root surface and is preferred over placement next to the cheek as bacteria in the mouth can contaminate the root surface and complicate the reattachment process. If none of these are available or practical, use water (with a pinch of salt, if possible). 

· Bring the tooth to a dentist as soon as possible. The ideal time is within 30 minutes; however, it is possible to save a tooth even if it has been outside the mouth for an hour or more if it has been transported in milk or alternate compatible solution. 

The best method to prevent any trauma to your teeth while playing sports is to wear a sports mouth guard. For active duty members the 3rd DS provides boil and bite mouth guards through the dental clinic or base gym. In unusual cases when a generic appliance is inadequate, custom-made mouth guards can be fabricated on request by appointment. 

It is everyone's responsibility to take care of their smiles by brushing at least twice a day, flossing at least once a day and by wearing a mouth guard when participating in any contact sport or when there is a possibility of making contact with the ground. Save a tooth, save a smile.