Knocked Out Tooth?

Don't Panic, There's a Chance It Can be Saved

Getting a tooth knocked out can feel like a nightmare. Although it may not be the most serious injury in the world, it can certainly seem like the world is close to ending. Who wants to be called Gappy when they are an adult? It was cute when you were six and knew it was very much a temporary situation, but a knocked-out tooth as a grownup? It sends shivers down most people's spines just thinking about it.

As shocking and scary as it is, thanks to modern dentistry if your tooth is knocked out, putting things right is a lot easier than it used to be, and the chances you won't lose your lovely smile for very long are high. As long as you take prompt action that is.

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Dealing with a Knocked-Out Tooth:  Immediate Steps to Take

Whether the cause is a sports injury, an accident, or you got into a fight - either with someone else or the pavement - it is important to know what to do immediately after a tooth has been knocked out.

When a tooth is knocked out it is quite literally severed from the socket (that's just one reason why it hurts so much) and usually, the ligament that once attached it to your gum and jaw is destroyed. The tooth can still be saved at this point, but you'll need as many of the tiny nerve fibres to remain attached as possible.

This means you'll have to be very careful when you pick up the tooth (we're assuming here it can be located) You should pick it up by the crown only, never the root. Pick it up the wrong way and those precious fibers will be gone.

Once you have the tooth, wipe away excess dirt (carefully) and either set it back into the socket or hold it between your cheek and gums in your mouth. Bathing your tooth in your saliva will help keep it alive. If you can't place it in your mouth putting it into a glass of cold whole milk is the next best thing.

At this point somebody - possibly not you as your mouth is busy trying to save a knocked-out tooth - should be on the phone with an emergency dentist. A tooth that is lost due to an accident has an 80-90% chance of being saved if these procedures are followed and you can get to the dentist's office quickly.

A healthy tooth that is. If a knocked-out tooth was loose already, something that is usually caused by periodontal disease, none of these measures may help, as a diseased tooth is usually beyond that at this point. You should still head right to the dentists though, as the damage done to the gums and potentially to surrounding teeth still needs to be accessed asap.

Preventing Tooth Loss

Accidents happen. We understand that. But there are some things you can do to help prevent getting a tooth knocked out in the first place. Some sensible measures include the following:

If you play sports, wear a mouth guard.  Not just if you play cricket or footie and there are flying objects involved, but when you participate in any sport. You never know when an opponent’s arm, or the track, might connect with your face and knock your tooth out. You need to make sure it fits well though, so talk to your dentist and they'll help you find the right one.

Practice good dental hygiene and visit your dentist regularly to prevent gum disease and decay. As we already mentioned, an unhealthy tooth is knocked out far more easily than a healthy one and once it's out there's rarely any putting it back in.

Think when you drink. Yes, there's still tons of fun to be had, even if the summer's winding down. And while we are not suggesting you give up enjoying everything that Sydney has to offer - including all the great pubs and clubs - drink with care.

Once you get a bit beer wobbly you are far more likely to fall down and kiss the pavement (ouch, it hurts just thinking about it) and/or get into a bit of fisticuffs with a fellow 'happy' reveler. If you are drinking, take it steady and if you really can't walk straight (oops) don't try. Call a taxi, call an Uber, call a mate but don't try to walk home and certainly don't drive.

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Emergency Dentist Sydney Says:

With prompt action a knocked-out tooth can often be saved. Just another reason why it pays to have our number in your phone, as you never know when you might need it at 2 am!

Do I Really Have a Dental Emergency?

What counts as one?

It's late. Most businesses, including your regular dentist's office - have been closed for hours and won't be open again for hours either. Or if it's the weekend, possibly days. Which would usually be fine. Except you have a toothache that just won't quit. Or a chipped tooth that is both sharp and painful. Or, worse still, a tooth that is hanging by a thread, or knocked out altogether. But it is late, getting across town might be a pain and although you know that emergency dentists exist, don't they charge an arm and a leg?

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The fact is that it is important to know what kinds of oral health problems or dental injuries do require emergency treatment and which can probably wait until a more civilised hour. No, if you can avoid a mad midnight dash to the dentist's it's probably more convenient, but it won't always be the best thing for your oral health.
 

Take that knocked out tooth for example. A couple of decades ago everyone would have told you to suck it up, stop crying and deal with the fact that the tooth was gone. These days a lot has changed and a tooth that has been dislodged can be saved, but usually only if you act fast.

The toothache that just won't quit? Even though you have taken the bottle-recommended dose of Nurofen - and then some Panadol - twice and it's still there throbbing away, although in a slightly more muted fashion than before? Is that worth a visit to an emergency dentist? Will they be able to help or is toughing it out until the morning the most sensible option here?

Figuring out what is or isn't a dental emergency can indeed be hard. However, as a general rule of thumb all of the following may very well be 'serious' enough to warrant the emergency trip:

• A knocked-out tooth

• A severely chipped tooth that is very sensitive (indicating that there may be nerve damage)

• Objects stuck in the tooth

• Severely bleeding teeth or gums

• An abscessed tooth or gum area that is causing a great deal of pain.
   

One of the best things you can do in any potential emergency oral health situation is give an emergency dentist a call before you go anywhere. The staff at Emergency Dentist Sydney are available via phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are all trained to help even the most panicked patients and advise them about the best way to proceed to treat their unique dental emergency.

That might involve coming in to see a dentist right away, making an appointment for the next day or, in some rare cases, proceeding to the hospital emergency department instead.

The one thing you should not do is wait and wonder. It's only a simple phone call and if it turns out the problem can wait no one will think any less of you for having checked. Your oral health is hugely important - and so is your peace of mind - so no matter what the time it's better to be safe than sorry!

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Emergency Dentist Sydney Says:

Want to learn more about dental emergencies and their basic treatments? Check out the informative guide we put together here.

Got A Chipped Tooth?

It's Now an Easy Fix, Here’s How

It's not hard to chip a tooth. In fact it's a lot easier than you might think. A trip, a fall, biting into a harder than you expected apple, even knocking your tooth a bit too hard on a coffee mug can all quite easily result in a chipped tooth.

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The aesthetic effect is what upsets many people most. All that time spent brushing and flossing, going for regular dental checkups and doing just what the dentist said in order to get the best smile possible is now, in their minds, ruined because of a Granny Smith that was more like a rock than a healthy addition to their diet.

But there are other reasons why a chipped tooth can be a problem too. A chip allows bacteria to get into the tooth, where it will eventually erode away the dentine, which is a soft layer that lies directly beneath the tooth enamel. This will eventually result in the soft pulp of the tooth being compromised too, leading to cavities and tooth decay.

Dealing with a Chipped Tooth
So, by now you will have figured out that dealing with a chipped tooth, and doing so as quickly as possible, really is a must. And there is some very good news here. Advances in dental technology have made it possible for a good dentist to treat and fix a chipped tooth more effectively than ever before.

The reason for this is that these days nasty metal fillings - as fillings are often the best solution for a chipped tooth - really are a thing of the past. Today's fillings are not only more durable and somewhat easier for a dental professional to place but they are also tooth coloured.

Not tooth coloured in the way that a plaster is flesh coloured, in that the colour matches someone's flesh somewhere but certainly not yours, but in that the fillings can be mixed to match your unique tooth colour for a finished effect that is not only wonderfully durable but also pretty darn good looking as well.

The Techie Stuff
The way that dentists can do all of this is pretty impressive as well. Using a composite quartz resin - basically a really tough plastic - and a special LED light - once it's in place a filling can be hardened in about ten seconds and within minutes you and your newly repaired tooth will basically be good to go. The new part of the tooth can be brushed and cared for usual and it will be as tough as the 'real' tooth it replaced. Don't forget we're always here after hours during the Christmas season to help you out.

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The #EmergencyDentist Says:

We get more incidents of chipped teeth during the December January silly season than any other time. Watch yourself at those christmas parties, new years parties and sprints across the hot sand or cement at the beach ;)

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