Beyond Fistfights: Common Causes of Knocked Out Teeth

Forget Hollywood brawls. Knocked-out teeth, also known as avulsed teeth, happen more often than you might think. Simple falls, face injuries, and even contact sports can be the culprits. While it’s a common dental emergency, only 9% of Americans know what to do when it strikes. This guide equips you with the knowledge and steps to potentially save your lost tooth!

Quick Action is Key: Understanding the Timeframe

Time is crucial! Ideally, aim to see your dentist within 30 minutes of losing the tooth. However, with immediate action, successful reimplantation has even occurred after an hour. So, stay calm and focused, follow these steps, and increase your chances of salvaging your smile.

1. Locate and Handle the Tooth Gently:

• Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (white, chewing surface), not the roots.
• Rinse gently with lukewarm water for no more than 10 seconds if dirty. Avoid chemicals, soaps, or drying it. Excessive water or rough handling can damage the root cells needed for reimplantation.

2. Try Reimplantation (if Possible):

• If the tooth is whole, gently push it back into the socket by the crown. Hold it there with your fingers or bite down softly.

3. Keep the Tooth Moist:

• Never let the tooth dry out! If reimplantation isn’t possible, keep it moist at all times. Here are your options:
  • Place it in your cheek: The most natural and preferred method.
  • Store it in milk: A temporary alternative if cheek-storing isn’t possible.
  • Use an emergency tooth preservation kit: If readily available, follow the kit’s instructions.

4. Time to See Your Dentist (Fast!):

• Every minute counts! Call Lakeview Family Dentists immediately and explain the situation. We prioritize emergency appointments.
• If reaching our office immediately isn’t possible, head to the emergency room.

5. Post-Reimplantation Recovery and Options:

• Healing time for reattached teeth can vary from 1-8 weeks. Regular checkups follow, and further treatment might not be needed.
• If reimplantation is unsuccessful, your dentist will discuss tooth replacement options like bridges or implants after the socket heals.

Prevention is Always Best:

Wearing a mouthguard during contact sports and practicing good oral hygiene are your best defenses against knocked-out teeth. But if it happens, knowing what to do can make a world of difference. At Lakeview Family Dentists, we empower you with the knowledge you need to care for your oral health!

Tooth Extractions in Dracut, MA

Tooth extractions can be painful, and it’s important to realize how to take care of the extraction site afterward to promote healing and avoid complications such as dry sockets. After a tooth extraction, it’s important to maintain healthy dental practices, but extra care is required. 

Brush Gently

Do not forgo your everyday oral hygiene habits, such as brushing and flossing, even if you’ve just had a tooth extracted. However, it is important to brush gently and use care, especially in the areas close to the extraction. To be safe, avoid brushing or rinsing your mouth in the first 24 hours after the tooth extraction procedure. Afterward, brush with care, and don’t get close to the extraction site with the toothbrush. Also, don’t swish water, mouthwash, or any oral care fluid in your mouth. Instead, just lower your mouth and let water or mouthwash pour out.

What Else Do I Need To Do After A Tooth Extraction

Beyond brushing with care, there are several other things you can do to help yourself heal quickly and avoid pain and complications after a tooth extraction. 

Choose Soft Foods

Stick with easy-to-chew foods for the first few days following your tooth extraction. On the first day after surgery stick to foods such as: 

• Yogurt
• Pudding
• Jell-O
• Ice cream
• Applesauce

After the first day, you can try a wider variety of foods, such as:

• Mashed potatoes
• Mashed sweet potatoes
• Scrambled eggs
• Oatmeal
• Pancakes
• Broth-based soups

Avoid eating chewy or sticky foods during the first 4-5 days after the extraction, as these can get stuck in the socket left after the tooth was surgically removed. Also, sticky or chewy foods can attach to the clot in the extraction site, and these will remove the clot.

Chew Wisely

How you eat your food is also important, and you should try to only chew on the opposite side of your mouth from the extracted tooth. Also avoid using straws after an extraction, because the suction of the straw could dislodge the blood clot and lengthen your recovery time. 

Follow Your Dentist’s Instructions

After a tooth extraction, it’s important to follow your dentist’s, or oral surgeon’s, instructions. These usually include taking pain medication and antibiotics and making follow-up appointments to ensure you’re healing and that there are no complications.

Having a tooth extracted is a common procedure that many people will experience. Knowing how to care for your extraction site can speed up the recovery process and avoid complications such as dry sockets. If you have any questions about tooth extractions or any other of our services, please call our office at 978-957-6300. 

There are more than seven billion people in the world, and every one of them has a set of teeth—32 of them, in fact. Unfortunately, from time to time, some of them have to go. It’s not something anyone’s looking forward to. After all, your teeth have all been with you for years, reliably chewing anything you asked them to. Most of us are pretty attached to them!

Many patients dread the recovery period after an extraction, but as long as you know how to take care of yourself, an extraction can be one of the least troublesome medical events of your life. Today, we’ll tell you what you can expect, and what you can do to make your recovery as comfortable as possible.

The main concern in the period after a tooth extraction is the possibility of a dry socket. This is when a blood clot fails to form over the extraction site, or when the clot comes loose and exposes the wound, possibly even leaving the bone underneath exposed. Fortunately, it’s not incredibly common (it occurs in less than 5% of routine dental extractions).

The pain of a tooth extraction can be avoided by following these steps.

Step 1: Clear your schedule

The most important thing you can do to prepare for this procedure or any other is to make sure you’re ready for the recovery period. If you were thinking about going on a ten-mile bike tour or pushing a new one-rep-max at the gym, you’ll have to postpone it. Clear your schedule of strenuous physical activity for a few days after the extraction, so you don’t risk loosening the clot before it has a chance to heal.

Step 2: Stock up on soft foods

Avoid eating anything you’ll have to chew or suck. Stock up on soft foods like yogurt and applesauce. Or you could make a smoothie—but be careful not to use a straw. Sucking up any liquid may dislodge the clot and leave the wound exposed. Eggs can work too, if you’re craving something a little more substantial.

Step 3: Manage your pain

After the procedure, your poor gums are going to need a bit of babying. You’ll probably want a painkiller of some kind. The extraction site might not hurt badly right away, but you can manage the pain best by taking a Tylenol or similar drug early. The pain likely will increase for the first three days or so, but don’t worry, that’s normal. If pain continues to increase after the third day or doesn’t decrease, it’s possible you have a dry socket. Contact your dentist, and they’ll decide how to handle things from there.

Step 4: Be gentle with your teeth

Your nighttime routine will have to change, too. For the first two days, avoid rinsing out the extraction site so the wound can heal. After that, you should rinse gently with warm salt water to encourage healing. Brush your teeth gently but avoid teeth right next to the extraction site for the first couple of days. Even after the first couple days, be very careful not to brush the site itself. When it’s time to go to bed, it’s best to prop your head up with an extra pillow or two.

Tooth extraction is a little uncomfortable for the first few days. But with just a little care, you can minimize the pain, and your teeth will be chewing reliably for you once again in no time. The key is to be patient with the healing process and gentle with your mouth for a few days. Putting up with the pain and inconvenience of an extraction is much better than living with the pain and infection risk of a cracked or impacted tooth!

Lakeview Family Dentists is here to support you through extractions and all your dental needs. If you’re having tooth pain, or if you have questions about tooth extraction or any other procedure, call our office at 978-957-6300, and we’ll do everything we can to help.