Tip #1 – Never Rinse Your Knocked-Out Tooth With Water
Dr. Lee informed us that dental avulsion is when the tooth is completely knocked out of the socket. And when this happens, the worst thing you can do to an avulsed tooth is place it in water.
“If your tooth is knocked out, don’t rinse it with water. The PH of water is completely different from the natural structures of the teeth. If the patient rinses their tooth with water, the tooth is pretty much gone”.
So in the case that you’ve hit a bump in the road during a wild night of scootering and lost your tooth, remember to never place that tooth in water. Try milk or saliva.
Tip #2 – You Have 1 Hour To Get Your Knocked-Out Tooth Into Some Type Of Solution
Dr. Lee says that when a tooth is completely knocked out of the socket, the patient has about 1-2 hours to place it into some type of solution before it “dies”.
“Hanks balanced solutions is the best medium to store teeth in” says Dr. Lee. “But milk or saliva works great as well”.
Dr. Lee and his team make sure that when your tooth comes out, they will be able to store your tooth safely while they find someone that has experience in dealing with your specific type of trauma.
Tip #3 – A Chipped Tooth Will Need Stabilization
Dr. Lee says that when a tooth is chipped, it goes through the process of luxation, or loosening from the socket. If there is trauma present, then there is also local inflammation that will cause the patient to need either stabilization, a root canal, or both.
When the tooth is chipped, it becomes a matter of how loose the tooth actually is, and will need to be stabilized inside of the socket and then splinted. But, in the event that there is a fracture of the tooth with an exposure of the nerve, a root canal may need to be started.
Dr. Lee always informs his patients that when they chip their tooth, there will always be a possibility that they will need a root canal in the future.
Full Article
Click here to read the full article on scooter accidents and dental trauma from Dr. Lee.