First aid for avulsed teeth:
If a tooth is avulsed, make sure it is a permanent tooth (primary/baby teeth should not be replanted).
- Keep calm.
- Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the white part). Avoid touching the root.
- If the tooth is dirty, wash it briefly (10 seconds) under cold running water and reposition it. Try to encourage the patient / parent to replant the tooth. Bite on a handkerchief to hold it in position.
- If this is not possible, place the tooth in a suitable storage medium, e.g. a glass of milk or a special storage media for avulsed teeth if available (e.g. Hanks balanced storage medium or saline). The tooth can also be transported in the mouth, keeping it between the molars and the inside of the cheek. If the patient is very young, he/she could swallow the tooth- therefore it is advisable to get the patient to spit in a container and place the tooth in it. Avoid storage in water!
- Seek emergency dental treatment immediately.
If you live in or near the Boston area, you should seek emergency dental care after hours at one of the local emergency rooms that provides Dental and or Oral surgery coverage.
The following major hospitals provide dental and/or oral surgery coverage in their emergency rooms 24hrs a day:
Massachusetts General Hospital
The following hospitals does not provide any dental services or limited dental services:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital (No Oral Surgery, Only Dental)
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (No Dental and No Oral Surgery)