In childhood, losing a tooth may be a fancy thing for you, and you wait for the tooth fairy to come and give you a dollar or maybe a Candy when you lose your teeth.
But the same thing becomes a painful experience in adulthood. You may never have imagined losing your permanent teeth, but it happens more frequently.
You can lose your permanent teeth due to decay infection or a trauma to your face or mouth.
According to a survey, one in 6 Americans lose their teeth every year and require dental help immediately. This means that 5 million permanent teeth are knocked out annually in America. Who knows that one day you may be the one with another 5 million people?
If right now you are a person who is holding a tooth in your hand and has a question in your head, what to do if a tooth falls out?
No worries because here we discuss what you can do to preserve your teeth and also why teeth fall out and how you can prevent it
What To Do If A Tooth Falls Out?
Losing deciduous teeth is not much pain because you know that one day you will get another tooth, but if it is permanent teeth, then you have to follow some steps to preserve the teeth and prevent permanent damage immediately.
Hold It Carefully
Never try to grab a tooth with the root as it may cause permanent damage to the teeth, just grab it with the crown.
Wash Your Teeth
After holding it carefully with the help of a root, wash your teeth. Make sure to wash it with water, milk, or saline solution. If you are using saline solution, make sure it is sterile. Do not scrub your teeth or wrap them in a towel or cloth.
Place It Back In Its Original Place
If you lose your tooth, it is necessary to keep it safe, and the best way to do it is to place it back in the socket. It will keep the root protected.
Don’t place deciduous teeth back in your child’s mouth, as it may damage the permanent teeth underneath.
Keeping your teeth in place with the help of medical gauze or soft fabric will help to keep the teeth stable.
You must visit a dentist if your teeth fit in the socket.
Preserve Your Teeth
If placing the teeth back in the socket doesn’t work for you, then keeping your teeth preserved in a glass of milk or saline water will help preserve your teeth. You can keep the teeth in your saliva if a saline solution or milk is unavailable.
Immediately Rush To ER
The earlier you visit your dentist, the better the chance of restoring your natural teeth. If the dentist is unavailable, immediately respond to the emergency room, and they will help you insert your tooth back into the socket.
Why Do Teeth Fall Out?
Injury To The Teeth
The most common cause of sudden tooth loss is an injury to the teeth. Our healthy teeth are much strong and don’t fall out quickly, but a strong blow to the face or a vehicle accident may damage your teeth, and your teeth may knock out.
Other traumatic causes include clenching teeth because of stress or grinding them at night out of habit, wearing down the tissue and periodontal fibers, and eventually knocking out the teeth.
Most of the time, people are Completely unaware of their teeth grinding habits and come to know when feeling jaw pain or their relative tells them about it. If you grind your teeth at night, immediately book an appointment with the doctor, as they can only help you preserve your teeth.
Osteoporosis
It is a condition in which your bones become weak and porous due to calcium absorption from your bones.
Bones become extremely sensitive, and a light impact can damage your bones.
Osteoporosis most commonly affects spines but can also damage the jaw bone supporting the teeth.
If alveolar or jaw bone becomes porous, your teeth will loosen and fall out.
According to research by the National Institute of Health Sciences, there is also a potential link between Bone loss and gum disease.
Certain drugs help in treating osteoporosis, which can cause dental health problems. It is not much common, but in rare cases, a drug known as bisphosphonates can lose the teeth in the socket. This condition is known as jaw osteonecrosis; trauma and surgical procedures can also cause osteonecrosis.
Gum Disease And Caries
Among the most common reasons for tooth loss are gum disease and caries gum disease, also known as periodontitis, in which gums become inflamed.
Gum disease and carries most commonly occurs because of poor oral hygiene. 40% of people suffer from periodontitis, and 70% lose their teeth because of this condition.
If you are not brushing your teeth or flossing or if your brushing technique is appropriate and doesn’t remove plaque, you are more likely to develop gum disease. In plaque, food debris and bacteria stick to teeth and harden with time.
Tartar can only be removed with the help of a dentist, and if it is not removed at a time, it can pull the gums away from your teeth, creating periodontal pockets that become infected with time.
This process can break down the bone and associated structures, causing the teeth to become loose.
Some of the most common symptoms of gum disease which can help you at early diagnosis are
- Red, painful, and inflamed gums which are tender
- bleeding of gums on brushing and touching
- changes in the position of teeth and fitting pattern
- gum recession
If you are worried about your gums and want to strengthen them, look at Unhealthy Gums: Why Gums Become Unhealthy.
Pregnancy
Last but not least, pregnancy is another reason which may affect your teeth adversely. Raising the level of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy can affect the jaw and tissues in the mouth.
Most commonly, these hormones affect the periodontium. When your periodontium is not healthy, you will feel your teeth loosening in the socket.
FAQs
What is the most common reason for tooth loss?
The most common reason in adults is periodontal disease.
Can you save your knocked-out teeth?
Yes, it can only be saved if you seek medical assistance within an hour.
What if my knocked-out teeth can’t be saved?
You must go for orthodontic equipment if your fallen tooth can’t be saved.
Conclusion
Most of the time, many people ask me what to do if a tooth falls out. First, don’t panic because it is normal, and 5 million people lose their teeth like this. Then, after controlling your nerves, follow the steps I have already discussed in this article.
You can prevent your teeth from falling because of medical conditions such as gingivitis, pregnancy, or osteoporosis, but you can’t save your teeth from falling if it is because of trauma.
If you want to save your teeth and maintain a healthy smile for a lifetime, maintain good oral health, avoid being in a fight( so that you are safe from a punch in the face), and drive safely.
