What Do I Do if I Lose a Tooth?

October 3, 2017

Hand with a knocked out toothIt can happen in the blink of an eye. One minute you’re perfectly safe having a great day, and the next you feel a tooth fly out of your mouth. Usually, that feeling is preceded by an impact or bite into something hard, but still, losing a permanent tooth typically comes as a shock. Keep reading to learn more about how to respond if you lose a tooth or experience other dental emergencies.

Step 1 – Take a Breath

We know an accident or injury that leads to a knocked out tooth can be really stressful or frightening, but it’s important you stay calm. Take a few breaths, and give your dentist a call. A good dentist will have a team member available to help walk patients through first aid and pain management over the phone. This will help you stay calm and get the emergency dental help you need.

Step 2 – Retrieve the Tooth

Once you’ve calmed down a bit, look for your tooth. When you find it, handle it by the crown (top of the tooth) rather than the roots. Look over the tooth to see if it’s broken or damaged. You want to make sure there is not a piece of tooth missing or still in the socket.

Step 3 – Clean the Area & Knocked Out Tooth

Holding the tooth by the crown, you can run cool water over it to remove any dirt or debris, but do not brush or rub the tooth as any remaining soft tissue is essential to the reattachment process. Then, rinse out your mouth with cool water. If the vacated socket is bleeding heavily, you can bite down on clean gauze or cloth to stop the flow of blood. An ice pack applied at 20 minute intervals (20 on /20 off) will also help to slow the bleeding.

Step 4 – Replace the Tooth in its Socket

If the entire tooth is knocked loose and there are no small pieces of tooth remaining in the socket, you should be able to return the tooth to its original socket. Once in place, bite down on gauze or clean cloth to hold the tooth in position.

Step 5 – Store the Tooth if You’re Unable to Replace It

If for any reason you cannot safely or comfortably return the tooth to its socket, you can store it in a container filled with water or whole milk. This will keep the tooth moist and protect any remaining soft tissue that’s attached to the knocked out tooth. If you’re comfortable doing so, you can also place the tooth between your cheek and gums in order to keep it in a more natural state.

Meet Dr. Javeed

At the Virginia Beach dental office of Astra Javeed, DMD, we’re here to help whenever patients need us most. Whether you lose a tooth on Monday morning or Saturday night, we’ll do our utmost to see you right away. Contact the Smile Care Family Dentistry team anytime you need us for emergency dental care. From toothaches to facial trauma, we’ll do our utmost to relieve pain and get a smile back on your face right away.

Smile Confidently Once Again with High Quality Dental Crowns and Bridges in Virginia Beach, VA

December 24, 2014

512103033Are you missing one or more teeth? Dealing with tooth loss can be a traumatic and confusing experience. Ideally, our natural teeth should last a lifetime; however, for many Americans, that’s just not that case. Tooth damage and tooth loss can occur at any age. Advanced gum disease is the current leading cause of tooth loss in adults. The risk for tooth loss is increased for those who use tobacco products, or suffer from heart disease or diabetes. For older adults, plaque can naturally accumulate and become harder to remove. Gum recession, older fillings and dry mouth can also put seniors at risk of losing their natural teeth. Children can also experience tooth loss through injury or neglect. Damaged or missing teeth are not only embarrassing; they can also restrict your diet, cause sensitivity, make you look older, and make your other teeth vulnerable to decay. Don’t let tooth damage or tooth loss wreak havoc on your dental health. If you, or a loved one, have missing or damaged teeth for any reason, you should make a restorative dentistry appointment with Smile Care Family Dentistry today. Smile Care Family Dentistry offers high quality crowns and bridges to restore your oral health. The experienced team at Smile Care Family Dentistry proudly renew smiles daily throughout Virginia Beach, VA, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and nearby areas.

What Is a Dental Crown?

Usually made from ceramic or porcelains, dental crowns are tooth-like caps that can be placed over a damaged tooth to restore its natural shape, size, strength, and functioning. Cemented dental crowns fully enclose the visible portion of a tooth above the gum line, or fully replace a missing tooth with a dental implant. You made need a dental crown to:

  • Protect a weak tooth
  • Hold together parts of a cracked or chipped tooth
  • Restore a broken or worn down tooth
  • Support a tooth with a large filling
  • Improve the appearance of misshapen or discolored tooth
  • Dental implant restoration
  • Save a tooth that can’t support a filling
  • Protect the baby teeth of a child at high risk for tooth decay

What Is a Dental Bridge?

Dental bridges are used to “bridge the gap” between one or more missing teeth. Dental bridges consist of one or more dental crowns.  They serve to anchor dental crowns to surrounding healthy teeth. You may need a dental bridge to:

  • Restore your natural smile
  • Restore your natural tooth functioning
  • Maintain youthful facial features
  • Redistribute bite forces
  • Prevent remaining teeth from shifting

Virginia Beach Crowns and Bridges Appointments

Make an appointment with Smile Care Family Dentistry for your dental crown and bridge consultation today. Smile Care Family Dentistry is a trusted Virginia Beach restorative dental office. The highly qualified dentists of Smile Care Family Dentistry proudly serve families daily throughout Virginia Beach, VA, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and the surrounding communities.