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Can a tooth dislodged from its place out of mouth be put back to function normally?
Yes, if the tooth is intact it can be placed back into the socket. However, the outcome of the treatment depends on how quickly the tooth is put back in its place. Prolonged time out of the mouth and drying of the tooth will have poor prognosis. Until a dentist is approached the tooth should be carried in the patient's mouth or externally in a cup of milk or sterile water or normal saline. The tooth should never be allowed to dry. In these emergencies the success of treatment depends on how quickly the tooth is put back inside. So it is advisable to contact your dentist immediately.
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There are a number of simple precautions you can take to avoid accident and injury to your teeth. One way to reduce the chances of damage to your teeth, lips, cheek and tongue is to wear a mouthguard when participating in sports or recreational activities that may pose a risk. Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy, all of which can crack a tooth. Cut tape using scissors rather than your teeth.
Accidents do happen, and knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth.
Tips for Dealing with Dental Emergencies
Bitten Lip or Tongue
Clean the area gently with a cloth and apply cold compresses to reduce any swelling. If the bleeding doesn't stop, go to a hospital emergency room immediately.
Broken Tooth
Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. Use cold compresses on the area to keep any swelling down. Call your dentist immediately.
Cracked Tooth
- For the Dental Patient: Do You Have a Cracked Tooth? |
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Jaw-Possibly Broken
Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Go to your dentist or a hospital emergency department immediately.
Knocked Out Tooth
Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the root of the tooth in water if it's dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket. If that isn't possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and get to the dentist as quickly as possible. Remember to take the tooth with you!
 Objects Caught Between Teeth
Try to gently remove the object with dental floss; avoid cutting the gums. Never use a sharp instrument to remove any object that is stuck between your teeth. If you can't dislodge the object using dental floss, contact your dentist.
Toothache
 Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss or an interdental cleaner to ensure that there is no food or other debris caught between the teeth. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. If the pain persists, contact your dentist
Knocked out or displaced tooth
Should you ever have a tooth knocked out or moved out of position you have a true dental emergency. This is one case where it is important to get to a dentist fast. If the tooth is still in the socket but is displaced leave it in the socket. These teeth can be repositioned rather easily if you are seen within an hour or so.
If the tooth is knocked completely out of the socket time is very important. The sooner the tooth is put back in place the better. Before you leave for the office the tooth should be rinsed in tap water. Do not scrub or wipe the root. It should not be touched. Leave any tissue attached to the root where it is. Look at the root to see if it is broken or cracked. Do not worry if the crown is cracked. If everything looks OK put the tooth back in the socket. Bite your back teeth together and hold the tooth in place with your fingers. If you can not bring yourself to place the tooth in the socket or if it has a cracked or broken root put it in a glass of milk and get to a dentist quickly.
Of course, if the tooth is a baby tooth it may just be the normal process of being lost so that it can be replaced by a permanent tooth. As a rule, baby teeth are never re-implanted.
Injuries to the soft tissues of the mouth
Injuries to the inside of the mouth include tears, puncture wounds and lacerations to the cheek, lips or tongue. The wound should be cleaned right away and the injured person taken to the emergency room for the necessary suturing and wound repair.
Bleeding from a tongue laceration can be reduced by pulling the tongue forward and using gauze to
place pressure on the wound area.
Dental pain
If you are having pain it is usually an indication that something is wrong. It may be a tooth, the gingival (gums), the bone, the jaw joint or the muscles that move your jaw. The first thing concerning most patients is relief. Aspirin, Tylenol or Advil are good pain relievers and should be tried first, provided you can use them. Make sure to follow proper dosing instructions. They only work by swallowing them. Never put either on the tooth or area that is bothering. They will burn the lining of your mouth.
Swelling
Should any part of your mouth, lips or face start swelling due to a dental problem you should also seek help as this often is caused by infection. If the swelling gets bad enough that your eye starts to swell closed, you start having trouble swallowing or you start running a temperature you need to be seen immediately.
 What is splinting?
Splinting is a procedure where the teeth are supported in its position for a period of time. This is done to teeth that are traumatized or teeth whose supporting structures are affected by disease, which prevents them from supporting the teeth. Splinting involves binding a group of teeth together so that the biting forces are shared by a large number of teeth instead of being born by the affected tooth.
Can traumatized teeth get displaced?
Teeth that are traumatized can be displaced from their position. This displacement can be in any direction depending upon the type and direction of trauma. The displacement can be into the bone (i.e. the tooth is driven into the bone) or can be displaced partially out of the socket. Such displaced teeth may have to be repositioned in the socket and splinted for a specified period of time. These teeth may also require endodontic therapy.
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Can injury to teeth cause discoloration?
If the nerve and blood supply to the tooth gets damaged or destroyed the pulp of the tooth dies. The dead pulp can discolor the teeth, which can look brownish to black in colour. Usually the pulp recovers after mild injuries and there is no change in color. However, if the pulp gets damaged then gradually the colour of the tooth changes over a period of time. Endodontic treatment of the teeth can revert back the tooth colour and function. Some tooth may require additional procedures like bleaching of the teeth or whitening of the teeth if discoloration is severe and persistent.
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