Facial injuries can be a traumatic experience. Along with the pain that comes with injuries to your mouth or smile, these emergencies can also leave you in shock. Preparation is always the most effective way to handle medical emergencies so that you can keep your cool and prevent further pain. Your Astoria dentist, Dr. Jeffrey Leibowitz, has these tips for dental emergencies so that you can be prepared to deal with a knocked-out tooth.
Sports Injuries and Tooth Trauma
Hockey players are not the only athletes in danger of losing teeth. When it comes to sports injuries, facial trauma accounts for 40 percent. Wearing a mouthguard and other facial protection is your best bet for safety. However, in the event of a dental emergency, take these steps for an optimal outcome.
How to Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth
When dealing with a knocked-out tooth, the most important safety measure is to confirm that the patient is not otherwise seriously injured. Have a medical professional look for signs of concussion if possible and dial 9-1-1 if the patient is unconscious. After ensuring the patient’s safety, recover the knocked-out tooth. In many cases, your Astoria dentist can place a knocked-out tooth back into the socket so that the tooth reattaches. For this to happen successfully, time is of the essence. The window for successful reattachment is typically 30 minutes, so try to follow these steps efficiently.
- Call our dental office in Astoria immediately at 718-728-8320.
- Recover the knocked-out tooth, holding it gently by the crown instead of the roots. The connective tissues of the avulsed, or knocked-out, tooth are fragile.
- Submerge the tooth in a glass of lukewarm milk or saline solution for transportation to the dental office. If neither of these liquids is available, gently rinse the avulsed tooth with warm water and place it between the patient’s cheek and gums.
Emergency Dentistry in Astoria
At our Astoria dental office, we can provide emergency dental care to help alleviate your pain and restore your smile. Call 718-728-8320 for more information. We proudly serve patients from Astoria, Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and surrounding areas.
