A knocked-out tooth is considered an emergency in dentistry. It is a common phenomenon in adults and old-aged people. In the language of the dentist, the broken tooth is known as avulsed. Globally, 5 million teeth are knocked out in both adults and children. This can happen because of an accident and injury in adults. However, in the case of children, it happens for a good reason. For adults, it is important to take quick action within 30 minutes to save the tooth.
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Can you Put a Tooth Back In?
The answer can be yes or no, depending on the age of the tooth carrier. If you are an adult, you must instantly consult a dentist for putting a tooth back in. Although the dentist can only join the muscles and roots, the broken blood vessels and nerves can’t go back to the previous condition. In contrast, if a child knocks out their teeth, then don’t put them back because it will hinder the growth of the underneath tooth.
What to Do If a Tooth Knocked Out?
When you accidentally knock out your tooth, go to the dentist quickly. The dentist can put it back in your mouth if your tooth is not dead and dried out. So, to keep your tooth in the proper condition, follow these guidelines.
1. Stay Calm
Immediately after you knock a tooth out, it is tough to stay calm. Still, you have to manage the shock because it is essential to take measures within 30 minutes to save it. Firstly recognize the tooth type, whether it is permanent or a baby tooth.
2. Pick From the Crown
Be careful to pick up the tooth and pick from the crown portion because the root part is sensitive. The tooth attaches to your gums; direct touch can damage it.
3. Clean It
If your tooth falls on the ground and catches the dirt, wash it immediately. However, please avoid using soap, detergent, and toothpaste; rinse it with plain water to remove the dirt.
4. Put It Back in the Socket
Hold the tooth from the crown, put it back in the socket, and slightly press it. Don’t apply extra force because the blood vessels are already damaged. After placing it back, close your mouth softly and visit the dentist.
5. Keep it Moist
In case of bleeding or pain, you can’t put the tooth back in the socket. To keep it alive and fresh, you have to keep it moist. To save a tooth, you can keep it in your mouth or the milk. If you wonder why do you put a tooth in milk if it falls out? Then the reason is the basic nature of milk and also the calcium in milk does not react with the other layer of a tooth. Avoid the use of plain water because the water molecules can damage the tooth surface.
What to Do If the Tooth Broke?
This is the worst case in which a tooth is broken but still keep calm and find all the broken pieces. Now put them in a bowl of milk to keep them hydrated and visit a dentist immediately. The doctor can glue the broken pieces and place them again in your mouth.
What if you couldn’t find the broken pieces, don’t panic because the dentist can fill the missing areas with the filling. Also, the dentist can repair it by using a cap to cover the damaged crown completely.
What Did the Doctor Do for Adult Tooths?
Putting back a tooth is not an easy task, especially in the case of a broken bone or root. If you wonder, can you reattach a tooth? The dentist did this by first;y washing the socket with a water jet to ensure a clean base and diagnose any severe issue. Next, put the tooth back in its place and slightly press it. This procedure is extremely important without wasting any time.
The root canal is vital to place the tooth back in its place because of the broken roots. After placing the tooth back, the dentist decides the time of the root canal by analyzing the damage. Also, sometimes dentists use splints, i.e., wiring the broken tooth with its adjacent tooth for a specific time for support.
Once the dentist implants the tooth back, you need to pay a visit again after 4 weeks. If everything is fine, then you have to go for a yearly checkup to ensure that everything is fine. For reattachment, a tooth takes a month in case of minor damage. However, in the case of bone fracture, it takes more than 7 – 8 months.
What You Have to Do for Baby Tooths?
For kids, the initial steps will be the same as the baby tooth. Firstly, try to stop bleeding by putting the tooth back. If this procedure is painful, place a clean gauze on the injured gum and ask the kid to bite it with pressure. It will help to stop the bleeding. Next, place the tooth in the milk to keep it alive and go to a dentist. In case you can’t find the tooth, then ask the dentist for an x-ray because the tooth can be in the kid’s throat which can be more dangerous.
Breakage of baby teeth is expected unless the tooth breaks too early. In this case, the permanent tooth is not ready to replace. As a result, adjacent teeth take their place. The dentist set a space-filler until the permanent tooth to avoid this issue.
What If I Lost My Tooth?
If you fail to find your broken tooth, several options are to recover your beautiful smile. These are the following options.
1. Bridge
In this, a false tooth is glued to the adjusted teeth of the missing tooth. It looks normal but can’t bear the force like natural teeth.
2. Denture
Dentures are artificial teeth, and you can remove them whenever you want or for cleaning purposes.
3. Implant
This is a time-consuming procedure because, firstly, they attach a screw in your gums. Then after a month, I will implant a new tooth on it.
These procedures can help you find your smile and confidence back. So, in case of any mishap, keep these guidelines and have your smile.
FAQs
1. Can you put a tooth back in if it falls out?
Yes, you can reattach a tooth by placing it with the dentist’s help. The muscles get their previous connection back, but the blood vessels and nerves are impossible to attach.
2. My tooth fell out. Can I glue it back in?
If your tooth is in fine condition, i.e. alive and unbroken, then it is the easiest process to reattach it back with the dentist’s help. If a tooth is broken or missing some pieces, stay calm because the dentist can glue it back or reshape it with the filling. However, no one can put it back if the tooth is dead.
3. Can you put a tooth back in with milk?
Milk is the best option to preserve teeth unless you reach out to a dentist. It keeps the tooth hydrated and alive and makes it possible that you can put it back.
4. How to preserve a tooth that has fallen out?
Firstly, wash it with plain water to remove dirt and blood. Next, keep it hydrated, whether with the help of mouth saliva by putting it into the mouth or placing it in the bowl of milk. Then try to visit the dentist as soon as possible because the longer you get, the chances of reattachment decreases.
5. How long can you keep a tooth in milk?
It is advised that you visit the dentist within 30 minutes of knocking out the tooth. However, in the milk, you can preserve it for six-hour. But it is better to contact a dentist instantly without any delay.
