I get where you’re coming from—panic just takes over in those moments. Actually, a lot of people mix up what to do with a knocked-out tooth versus a chipped one. With water vs saline, it’s not the end of the world if you use water briefly, but you want to avoid scrubbing or soaking the tooth too long. Did your nephew’s tooth come out completely, or was it just chipped? That changes things quite a bit. Anyone else ever try to replant a tooth themselves and have it work out?
I’ve actually tried putting a tooth back in once—my son knocked his out at the playground. We rinsed it with milk (didn’t have saline) and popped it back in, then rushed to the dentist. It worked, but honestly, I was shaking the whole time. Has anyone else been told to use a tooth preservation kit? I keep one in our first aid box now, just in case.
I get the idea of keeping a tooth kit, but honestly, those things can be pricey.
That’s what I’d do too—milk or even just clean water if that’s all you’ve got. Haven’t had any dentist ever push a special kit on me, and my insurance definitely wouldn’t cover it. Just feels like another thing to buy...“We rinsed it with milk (didn’t have saline) and popped it back in, then rushed to the dentist.”
I get what you mean about the cost of those tooth saver kits. When my son knocked his front tooth out at the playground last year, I went straight into panic mode. Didn’t have one of those kits on hand, and honestly, I’d never even heard of them until the dentist mentioned it after the fact. The first thing I did was run to the water fountain and rinse the tooth off (I know you’re not supposed to scrub it, but in that moment, all logic kind of went out the window). Then I just stuck it in a cup of milk from the cafeteria because that’s what I vaguely remembered from somewhere—maybe a health class ages ago?
Anyway, we made it to the dentist in like 30 minutes. He said milk was actually a pretty good choice, and that clean water is better than nothing if you’re stuck. He did mention those tooth saver kits are ideal because of the solution inside, but he didn’t push it or anything. Honestly, I feel like unless you’ve got a kid who’s super accident-prone or you live really far from dental care, it’s hard to justify spending money on another “just in case” item. My insurance didn’t cover anything special either—just the emergency visit.
If it happens again (please no), my plan is: 1) Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown, not the root. 2) Gently rinse with milk or water if dirty, but don’t scrub. 3) Try to put it back in place if possible—my son wouldn’t let me near his mouth, so that was a no-go for us. 4) Keep it moist (milk worked last time) and get to a dentist ASAP.
I still get anxious thinking about it, but at least now I know what to do. Honestly, unless your dentist specifically recommends those kits for your situation, I’d just stick with knowing the steps and maybe keeping a little travel carton of milk in your fridge if you’re really worried. The peace of mind helps more than any kit, at least for me.
I get where you’re coming from about not wanting to buy another “just in case” thing, but I’ve seen a few cases where having a tooth saver kit actually made a difference. Milk’s decent if you have it, but that solution in the kits is specifically made to keep the cells on the root alive longer—sometimes that extra time matters, especially if you get stuck in traffic or it takes longer to get to the dentist. Have you ever had a situation where milk wasn’t available? I’ve had parents show up with a tooth wrapped in a napkin and it’s just not the same. Not saying everyone needs one, but for folks who do a lot of sports or are out and about, it might be worth considering.
