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External oral trauma can be quite painful and most often strikes as a shock. While most oral injuries occur due to sports-related accidents, they may also happen due to a bad fall, taking a hard blow to the mouth, etc. A knocked off tooth can cause severe pain and also bleeding, and the patient may start to panic. However, this doesn’t help to deal with the situation. Here is what you should do when you sustain oral trauma.

Remain Calm

Panicking affects your judgment and keeps you from taking the necessary action to treat the injury. Try to pull yourself together and remain calm. Reach out to a dentist on call and explain the situation to them. The dentist will guide you through what has to be done as first aid before you visit them for an emergency consultation. Always keep your dentist’s phone number handy.

Rinse your Mouth

You may bleed profusely when the tooth gets knocked off, or when the soft tissues of the mouth are injured. Rinse your mouth with cold water to wash off the blood, germs, and any debris that could have entered. You may use a cold pack or a damp washcloth to reduce the swelling and to apply pressure on the injured area. You could also use a clean piece of gauze to cover the wound, which reduces the bleeding and helps to form a clot.

Preserve the Tooth

In case your tooth has been knocked off clean from the mouth or avulsed from its socket, it can be put back in place if you visit the dentist on time. If you manage to find the tooth, hold it by the crown and rinse it with water. Please place it in a glass of milk and bring it along while visiting the dentist. Avoid touching the root structure as the microbes on your hand could infect it. Do not try to put it back in place yourself as you may not be able to do so rightly.

Reach out to us immediately at (925) 855-1604 for a consultation with Dr. Wong at our office in San Ramon, CA, during dental emergencies. We will ensure you get the necessary treatment at the earliest.