You never want to deal with a broken or damaged tooth, but accidents happen. When you find yourself with a broken tooth in the Columbus, OH area, it’s very important to make sure you take the appropriate steps to give yourself the best chance of getting your tooth repaired.

The first tip for handling a broken tooth is to make sure to collect as many fragments as possible. If you can get all the pieces, that increases the chances of you getting your tooth repaired if that’s at all possible. Make sure you only touch the crown and not the root, otherwise the dentist might not be able to make the repairs.

The next step depends on the damage that was done. If you can put the tooth pieces back into the right socket in your mouth and hold it in place with some gauze, then that’s the right move. If this isn’t possible, put the loose pieces of your tooth into a glass of whole milk. This will help keep the pieces of your tooth wet and in better shape for the dentist.

Make sure to treat any obvious side effects from the injury. Bleeding needs to be treated, as well as swelling with a cold compress. Reducing swelling and bleeding is critical to keeping the damaged area clean and healthy.

These are three important tips for properly handling a broken tooth, but keep in mind this is all with the assumption that you follow this up with a proper medical treatment from a dental professional. While treating your broken teeth starts with you, you always need to see a dentist who can offer emergency dental services.

Follow these basic tips and then see an to give yourself the best chance of saving any damaged tooth and regaining that million dollar smile!