The key is to get the patient and the tooth to the dentist as quickly as possible. There are several ways to do this. First, find the tooth. When you find it, please pick it up by the crown, which is the top of the tooth and the part that you commonly see when you look in your mouth. Do not handle it by the bloody root. If the tooth is relatively clean, set it back into the socket where it was previously, put a layer of gauze on top of it, and bite down gently on the gauze.
Another way to transport your tooth is to keep it in your mouth. Keep it either between your lower lip and your gums or underneath your tongue. If a child has lost the tooth, it might be better to avoid this method, as a young child might swallow the tooth.
Finally, if you cannot carry the tooth in the fashions listed above, you are best off placing the tooth in a small clean container and covering it with either milk or saliva. Either substance will keep the tooth "alive" for it to be implanted back in the jaw.
If you play a sport where head traumas and tooth loss are expected or likely, consider looking into the commercial kits that are designed to help save the tooth in question.
Of course, one of the best things that you can do to protect your teeth and the teeth of your children is to have a great emergency dentist, Dr. Kshonz of Nassau County, on call. When you are looking for an emergency dentist, Long Island has many professionals for you to investigate. Look for someone who makes you feel comfortable, be willing to interview professionals until you find someone who works well with you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Saving your teeth requires a bit of knowledge, a bit of planning, and the willingness to act quickly and without panic. Are you ready? Do you know what to do in the case of a lost tooth?