| |  | | | | | Teeth can become broken or knocked-out through playing sports or by freak occurrences. It's very important to handle tooth emergencies properly in order to preserve the tooth. If you have a tooth emergency, here's what the Hawaii Academy of Sports Dentistry recommends you should do:
Broken Tooth (Fracture)
1. If tooth is totally broken in half, save the broken portion and bring to the dental office. Stabilize portion of tooth left in the mouth by gently biting on a towel or handkerchief to control bleeding.
2. Should extreme pain occur, limit contact with other teeth, air or tongue. Pulp nerve may be exposed, which is extremely painful to individual.
3. IMMEDIATELY TRANSPORT INDIVIDUAL AND TOOTH FRAGMENTS TO DENTIST.
Tooth Knocked-Out (Avulsion)
1. Avoid additional trauma to tooth while handling. Do not handle tooth by the root. Do not brush or scrub tooth. Do not sterilize tooth.
2. If debris is on tooth, gently rinse with water.
3. If possible, reimplant tooth and stabilize by biting down gently on a towel or handkerchief. Do only if individual is alert and conscious.
4. If unable to reimplant:
Place the broken tooth in Hank's Balanced Saline Solution (EMT ToothSaver) or in a cup of cold whole or 2% milk, or wrap in saline-soaked gauze, or place under individual's tongue (only if individual is conscious and alert), or place in a cup of cold water.
5. Time is very important. Reimplantation within 30 minutes has the highest degree of success rate. Transport individual and tooth immediately to dentist.
Tooth in Socket, But Wrong Position (Luxation)
THREE POSITIONS:
Extruded Tooth – Upper tooth hangs down and/or lower tooth raised up.
1. Reposition tooth in socket using firm finger pressure.
2. Stabilize tooth by gently biting down on towel or handkerchief.
3. Transport individual immediately to dentist.
Lateral Displacement – Tooth pushed back or pulled forward.
1. Try to reposition tooth using finger pressure.
2. Patient may require local anesthetic to reposition tooth; if so, stabilize tooth by gently biting on towel or handkerchief.
3. Transport immediately to dentist.
Intruded Tooth – Tooth pushed into gum, looks short.
1. Do nothing – avoid any repositioning of tooth.
2. Transport immediately to dentist.
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