Oral Care Guide for Teens


After a tooth is traumatized, the following situations can occur
	No apparent damage to the tooth
	The tooth becomes loose
	Crown fracture
	Root fracture
	Tooth dislocation
	Intrusion of the tooth
	Avulsion of the tooth (the entire tooth being knocked off)
Management after injury
	Go for a detailed check-up at the dental clinic immediately after the injury. The dentist will give the following treatment according to the situation: smoothen sharp edges of the fractured tooth and apply topical fluoride, filling, endodontic (pulp) treatment, crown, extraction, or denture.
	Although there might not be any apparent damage to the teeth after the injury, pulp necrosis may occur. Even if the tooth is vital right after the injury, it is possible that necrosis can happen within 5 years. Therefore, it is necessary to have follow-up reviews regularly as advised by the dentist.
	If the crown of tooth has been fractured, you should try your best to find and pick up the fractured portion of the tooth and go to a dentist immediately. If the whole permanent tooth has been knocked off after the injury, you should keep calm and take the following actions:
		Pick up the knocked-off tooth by holding the crown without touching the root
		Use half a glass of plain water or milk to gently rinse off the dirt at the surface of tooth. Do not wash or scrub the root of tooth to avoid damaging the soft tissues around the root.
		Use the adjacent teeth as reference, put the tooth back into the socket and gently bite your teeth to hold the tooth in place. The sooner the tooth is put back, the greater the chance of it being preserved.
		If there is any difficulty in inserting the tooth into the socket, immerse the tooth in a container filled with either milk or saliva of the injured person.
		Seek treatment from dentist immediately
	You should seek help immediately after oral structure or tooth injury because the sooner the treatment is received, the greater the chance of preserving the teeth. Afterwards, the replanted tooth should be reviewed by the dentist regularly to ensure the success of the treatment.