Tooth injury

Sometimes, during a fall, your teeth may be damaged. Tooth injury refers to damage to the teeth or surrounding tissue as a result of an accident. It can range from a small crack in a tooth to the complete loss of a tooth. Tooth injury can occur in both baby teeth and permanent teeth. We will help you find out what types of tooth injury there are and how to deal with them.

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In case of emergency

For acute pain or other emergencies, during opening hours call: 020-6792054

Outside opening hours with: 088-2632727 or visit www.mondzorgpoli.nl (Slotervaart Hospital) or 0900-8602 www.tandartsspoedpraktijk.nl (OLVG)

Types of tooth injury and what to do

Permanent tooth/teeth taken out

Find the tooth quickly. Grasp the tooth by the crown: the part visible above the gums. Avoid contact with the root. Touching the root kills the sensitive cells, which will reduce the chances of successfully reinserting the tooth.
Gently rinse the tooth with cold water for 10 seconds. This ensures that dirt is removed and the tooth has a better chance of surviving. Never clean the tooth with detergents or a brush. This reduces the chances of successful reinsertion.
Place the tooth back in the mouth, in its original position. It may not fit perfectly, it doesn't matter.
Does the reinsertion not work? Keep the tooth in the mouth (in the space between the molars and the cheek) or in a cup with saliva or cold milk. The cells on the tooth root can survive for a relatively long time in saliva or milk and this prevents the tooth root from swelling and dying.
Will the reinsertion work? Hold the teeth together with a cotton ball, gauze or handkerchief between them to stabilise the tooth.
Go to the dentist immediately. He or she will check and secure the replaced tooth. The sooner you do this, the better the chances of a successful final result.

Baby tooth lost

It is not recommended to reinsert a baby tooth to prevent damage to the permanent succeeding tooth/teeth. You can contact your dentist for advice. An appointment will then be made to check the wound and to see if any pieces of the tooth are still in the gums. If a baby tooth/cog is lost, we will wait until the adult tooth/cog comes through on its own.

Tooth or crown broken off

Keep the broken tooth part in a glass of milk or saliva.
Take the broken piece(s) to the dentist. Sometimes it can be replaced.
The dentist will see if he can replace the broken-off piece. If reinsertion is not possible, the dentist repairs the tooth with tooth-coloured material.

Prevent (sports) accidents: wear a mouth guard

In some sports, you are more likely to suffer dental injury. By wearing a mouth guard (bit), you can often limit the damage. Ready-made mouth guards can be bought in sports shops, but you can also have a custom-made mouth guard made by your dentist. The custom-made mouth guard is designed specifically for your teeth and offers better protection than store-bought mouth guards. Also, a custom-made mouth guard is generally more comfortable. Ask your dentist for more information on mouth guards.