What to know before it happens

Nobody wants to have to experience a dental emergency and perhaps would feel it better to bury their heads in the sand regarding the topic, but chances are everybody will be privy to some accident or another, whether it is on the sports ground or out in the field.

Forward thinking and proactive dentists in Mackay provide their patients with as much information as possible upon hearing about anyone who experiences a dental trauma. It is important to contact a dentist as soon as possible in order to give any traumatised area the best possible chance for complete recovery.

In the example of a tooth that has been knocked out, every minute counts. In the case of an adult tooth being knocked out, patients should try to replace it after cleaning it with a saline solution.

However, if the tooth was a deciduous tooth or a baby tooth, no attempt should be made to reinsert the tooth. This is because it can damage the permanent tooth that is sitting below the socket or even fuse to the bone making it hard to fall out when the time has come for it to do so.

By following the advice given over the phone from a dental professional at Northern Beaches Dental in Mackay, patients are able to do the best they possibly can give the situation.

What are some general tips that can help to save a tooth?

By placing a tooth that cannot be inserted back into the mouth in a small glass of milk and attempting to reach a dentist within the hour of the accident occurring, patients are giving the cells in their tooth the best possible chance of survival and therefore allowing the dentist to potentially save the tooth.

Milk is the best medium to place a tooth in as the cells do not swell up and burst as they do when the tooth is simply placed into water. Saline water can be useful in a pinch or the person can simply place the tooth in their mouth as saliva is better than nothing.

By wrapping a tooth up in a napkin or similar, the patient is allowing the delicate pulp and nerve tissues within the tooth to dry up and render them useless. Unfortunately, a dentist will not be able to work with a tooth that has overdried. Placing the tooth in a plastic wrap would be better than in a napkin or other drying material. The moister the tooth is, the better.

Do not handle the tooth by the yellow roots but only by the white crown or the part of the tooth that you normally see. Tooth roots are full of nerve endings and can be thought to be just like plant roots. They do not do well to be touched or dried out.

If a tooth has been broken or chipped, make an effort to rinse the mouth out with saline water to keep the area as clean as possible.

Cover the sharp, jagged end with some wax or sugarless chewing gum so that it does not cut the inside of the mouth or cause further injury that can lead to infection.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you, should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.