What To Do If You Lose a Tooth

Losing a tooth can be a very traumatic experience. Your teeth play an important part in how you look and feel about yourself. The important thing to remember if you lose a tooth is that you need to act fast. Your dentist may be able to offer you more restorative options if you do certain things immediately after losing a tooth.

Remain Calm and Call Your Dentist

First, remain calm. Many people lose a tooth; you’re not the only one. If you remain calm you’ll be able to think more clearly and do the right things to protect your dental health and your tooth. If possible, contact your dentist right away. If it’s the weekend or after hours, leave a message with the answering service. They may even be able to recommend the next steps, such as visiting the emergency room.

Keep the Tooth

If you can, save the tooth that came out. This may not always be possible, depending on the circumstances. If you don’t see the tooth right away, it’s worth a search to try and find it. Your dentist may be able to use this lost tooth to restore your smile.

Keep the Tooth Clean

You don’t want to scrub your tooth to clean it, but you do want to keep from adding any dirt or bacteria to it until you can get in to see your dentist. Many dentists recommend putting it into a small bottle with some milk. This is because milk contains calcium, which your tooth also contains. Put the lid on so it doesn’t spill during your trip to the dentist.

Stop the Bleeding

If you lost the tooth due to some kind of mouth trauma, you may experience significant bleeding. This can be very stressful, but remember that it’s perfectly normal. Use a sterile gauze pad to apply light pressure to stop the bleeding. Change the gauze pad as needed. Don’t swallow the blood, as this can cause stomach upset or vomiting.

Don’t Take Aspirin

Aspirin thins the blood and may lead to more bleeding. Avoid taking medication until you visit the dentist, to avoid any possible drug interactions.

Finally, have hope. Your dentist has a vast array of treatments available to help you with your lost tooth. Soon, your lost tooth experience will be a distant memory.