A hard blow to the mouth from a slip and fall or an athletic injury can sometimes cause significant oral trauma. Beyond the bleeding and damage caused to soft oral tissues, these incidents can sometimes carry enough force to knock a tooth out of its socket.
In a moment like this, you will likely need to apply some basic first-aid principles while seeking emergency care at John Blake, DDS, PC’s dental offices.
If you are experiencing significant bleeding, traumatized soft tissues can be lightly packed with sterile gauze. If you need to first clear your mouth, a gentle saltwater rinse might help soothe the tissues.
If a tooth has been knocked out completely, Dr. John Blake might be able to install it back into the socket. However, the tooth will need to be kept alive while you make your way to John Blake, DDS, PC.
The tooth can be kept alive for up to half an hour by placing it between your cheek and gums or placing the knocked out tooth in a canister of tooth-preservation product. The small container holds a special mineral solution that has been specially formulated to keep the tooth alive.
If the tooth itself can’t be saved Dr. John Blake might still be able to restore it with an emergency root canal followed by a dental crown.
In a more severe case where root has been badly traumatized or a significant amount of the socket structure has also been compromised, Dr. John Blake might recommend extracting the remnants of the tooth.
If you are in Lake Orion, Michigan, and you’ve had a tooth knocked out, you should call 248-693-5800 to seek emergency treatment at John Blake, DDS, PC’s dental office.