Its a stunning warm Cape Town summer’s day. It has been a long week and all you got on your mind is to go for a surf with your favourite surf buddy. You paddle out. The first wave feels awesome. Suddenly everyone freezes. There is a high shriek and the first thing you think about is a shark attack.
When you turn around you realize your good friend is bleeding and her front tooth is missing.
How to Save a Tooth
Your quick response can insure that her tooth can get replanted and saved. Act quick now, she will thank you for it one day. Time is of the essence.
- Be the calm one and act quickly.
- The tooth’s own socket is the perfect way to transport it. But this is sometimes impossible as the patients mouth is sore and the area swollen.
- In case you cant put the tooth back in the socket transport it very carefully to make sure the root of the tooth does not get damaged. Pick the tooth up by the crown only and ideally place it in milk, saline or saliva (keep it in your cheek). Do not wrap it in tissue or cloth. This destroys the sensitive cells around the surface of the tooth’s root. This is very important.
If you get this right and reach a dentist within 30 min there is a 90% chance the patient will keep the tooth. If you get there within 90 minutes the chances to keep the tooth shrink to 65%.
Your Cape Town Dentist will take things from there. With the right dental treatment these avulsed permanent teeth can be successfully treated and continue to function for a lifetime.
