First aid for avulsed teeth
I was searching the web and found this informative article ” Guidelines for the management of traumatic dental injuries” by Flores and others. As a dentist in the Montclair NJ area that with the advent of spring and summer sports this was a good primer on what to do if an anterior tooth is lost.
Dentists, that are in the area of Montclair, should always be prepared to give appropriate advice to the public about first aid for avulsed teeth. An avulsed permanent tooth is one of the few real emergency situations in dentistry. In addition to increasing the public awareness by, e.g. mass media campaigns, healthcare professionals, parents and teachers should receive information on how to proceed following these severe unexpected injuries. Also, instructions may be given by telephone to parents at the emergency site.
If a tooth is avulsed, make sure it is a permanent tooth (primary teeth should not be replanted)
- • Keep the patient calm.
- • Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the white part). Avoid touching the root.
- • If the tooth is dirty, wash it briefly (10 seconds) under cold running water and reposition it. Try to encourage the patient/parent to replant the tooth. Bite on a handkerchief to hold it in position.
- • If this is not possible, place the tooth in a suitable storage medium, e.g. a glass of milk or in saline. The tooth can also be transported in the mouth, keeping it between the molars and the inside of the cheek. Avoid storage in water.
- • Seek emergency dental treatment immediately.