A healthcare expert has offered some tips on how to deal with situations that will require treatment from an emergency dentist.
Shawn Watson, writing for About.com’s Dentistry Blog, said he recently saw a situation in which a young girl had a front tooth knocked out while playing sport.
“I felt really embarrassed watching how this situation was handled. It was very clear that not one person knew what to do,” he commented.
Mr Watson said anyone who witnesses this kind of accident should wash the affected area with water and see if the tooth can be held into its original position until an emergency dentist is found.
If not – perhaps if the gum is cut – the tooth should be placed into a cup of water or milk while the victim is taken to a dentist as soon as possible.
“There is a small chance that a lost tooth can be saved if the proper measures are taken in a timely manner,” the expert pointed out.
Last month, the Sun reported that a woman had to undergo emergency dentistry after damaging her teeth on a sandwich from Boots that had a small stone in it.