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Fall sports season is in full swing across Etobicoke. Whether your teenager is charging down the soccer field at Centennial Park or playing hockey at the local rink, sports are a great way to stay active. However, they also come with plenty of hard hits and falls that can easily damage smiles. Seeing your child suffer a facial collision that knocks out a permanent tooth is every parent’s nightmare. But, quick action and the right plan can save their tooth.
Our team at Woodbine Family Dental has put together this simple 4-step emergency action plan to address a game-day tooth injury.
1. Pick Up the Tooth by the Crown (never touch roots!)
Grab the tooth gently by the white top part (the crown) that you normally see in their mouth. Never touch the bottom yellow root! The root is covered in delicate ligament cells that allow the tooth to reattach to the jawbone. Touching or wiping the root destroys the living cells and will make reattachment unlikely.
Read More: Choosing a Dentist You Can Trust
2. Place the Tooth in Cold Milk or Saliva
A knocked-out tooth cell dies quickly if it dries out in open air. To keep the root cells alive while you travel to a dental clinic, you must keep the tooth moist:
- Best Choice: Have your child gently tuck the tooth into their cheek pouch if they are old enough not to swallow it.
- Second-best choice: Submerge the tooth in a small cup or bottle of cold milk.
- Avoid Plain Tap Water: Plain water can burst the fragile root cells.
3. Apply Gentle Pressure to Stop Bleeding
Bleeding may occur after a tooth is knocked out. Fold a clean piece of cotton gauze or a clean and place it on the bleeding socket. Have your child bite down with firm, steady pressure for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce the bleeding.
4. Seek Professional Care Immediately
Time is your greatest ally when dealing with a knocked-out tooth. Successful reattachment is most successful when the tooth is replanted within 60 minutes of the hit.
What to Do Next: Emergency Dental Care in Etobicoke
If a sports collision happens during our regular business hours, call Woodbine Family Dental in Etobicoke right away at 416-675-0422. Our dentist in Etobicoke, ON, can prepare an emergency treatment room before you arrive and treat the urgent issue as soon as possible.
Emergency Note for Parents: If an injury happens during an evening game, weekend tournament, or after our office has closed for the day, do not wait until the next morning. Go immediately to an after-hours emergency dental clinic in Etobicoke, ON, or an urgent care facility to give your child’s tooth its best chance at survival!
