I was putting up some food storage when one of my preserve jars fell and smacked me right in the mouth. I thought I was okay. My lipped swelled, but there didn’t to seem to be much more damage. But, when I woke up this morning, one of my front teeth seemed loose. I keep wiggling it to be sure. I’m pretty positive it’s loose. What do I do? Do I just let it heal, do I schedule an appointment, or does it matter and no matter what I do it’s going to come out?
Lydia G.
Dear Lydia,
First, stop wiggling it. Seriously. Back away from the tooth. There are rubbery ligaments that bond your teeth to your jawbone. If they’re stretched too much, they’ll snap. Once you’ve stopped messing with the tooth, I want you to schedule an emergency dental appointment.
Your dentist will try to stabilize the tooth. They’ll either put a splint on it or bond it to a neighbor tooth in the hopes it will heal itself up. If the pulp of the tooth is damaged, you’ll need a root canal treatment and possibly a crown, but your tooth will still be saved. You’re trying to avoid needing an extraction and tooth replacement.
How long it will take to heal (if it does), depends a lot on the amount of damage done. Teeth that can be repaired can take anywhere from a few weeks to many months.
While you’re waiting on your emergency appointment, be careful to baby the tooth. Only soft foods, and try to avoid using it to chew. The more you bite down on it the more damage you’ll do. It wouldn’t hurt to take some anti-inflammatory medicine to help with any swelling.
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