My son and I were putting away groceries. He was tossing things to me. I was doing fine until I missed a can of peaches that hit me in the mouth. I thought I was fine outside of a rather bruised and swollen upper lip. But, this morning when I woke up my front tooth felt a little loose. At first, I thought I was just being paranoid, but the more I mess with it, the more sure I am. Is there a way this tooth can be saved? I’m panicking.
Jeanne – Maryland
Jeanne,
The first thing I want you to do is stop wiggling it. The ligaments to your teeth are like rubber bands. They stretch, but if you stretch them too far, they’ll snap. You could make the tooth so loose it will fall out.
I’d like you to see an emergency dentist. They’ll stabilize the tooth. Hopefully, given some time the tooth will heal on its own. If the pulp of the tooth is damaged it may need a root canal, but one thing at a time. Get to the emergency dentist.
In the meantime, you need to baby that tooth. Don’t touch it. Eat only soft foods. I’d also suggest taking an anti-inflammatory to aid in healing. Minor damage can heal in a few weeks. More severe damage can take months to heal.
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