{"id":102,"date":"2022-06-03T19:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-03T19:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pazminodentistry.com\/blog\/?p=102"},"modified":"2022-07-05T19:03:40","modified_gmt":"2022-07-05T19:03:40","slug":"can-i-replace-my-knocked-out-tooth-myself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pazminodentistry.com\/blog\/2022\/06\/03\/can-i-replace-my-knocked-out-tooth-myself\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Replace My Knocked-Out Tooth Myself?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dental emergencies can happen when you least expect them; and they\u2019re often quite inconvenient! In fact, according to the American Association of Endodontists, approximately 5 million US adults and children have one or more of their teeth knocked out every year. But when it happens to you, what should you do? Is putting the tooth back in its socket yourself a viable option, or should you hold off until you visit your emergency dentist<\/a>? Keep reading to learn more about what you should do in this situation, along with some tips for preventing it from happening in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Getting the Tooth Back in Its Socket<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If one of your teeth has been knocked out, it\u2019s important to act quickly\u2014typically, displaced teeth have the best chance of being salvaged if you\u2019re able to visit your dentist within an hour. That said, you should immediately contact your dentist and inform them of the situation. But in some cases, you can put the tooth back in its socket yourself if you\u2019re smart about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After locating the displaced tooth, pick it up by its crown (chewing surface), careful not to touch its root. It\u2019s very important that you do not<\/strong> wash the tooth or let it dry out; instead, rinse it with milk if necessary and then attempt to gently place it back in the socket. If the tooth slides in easily, you can hold it in place by gently biting down on a piece of gauze. But if the tooth is being met with resistance, do not<\/strong> try to force it in\u2014you could damage your gums and the tooth itself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, preserve the tooth in a glass of milk or a small plastic container. Don\u2019t store your tooth inside of a handkerchief or tissue; clear plastic or Saran wrap can also do the trick. Milk will preserve the tooth\u2019s cells for up to six hours, which should be plenty of time to seek professional treatment, assuming you act quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Preventing Additional Knocked-Out Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of course, one of the best things you can do is to simply prevent your teeth from becoming displaced in the first place! Although there\u2019s no way to prevent this entirely, consider the following to improve your teeth\u2019s chances of staying put:<\/p>\n\n\n\n