Summer in Vélez-Málaga is all about getting out and about: beach days in Torre del Mar, games in the pool, day trips and outdoor sports. But with more physical activity and splashing around in the water, the risk of accidents rises considerably. One of the most common and alarming summer mishaps is a knock to the teeth, which can cause anything from a chipped tooth to a knocked-out tooth.
At Acosta Cubero Dental Clinic, located in Torre del Mar, we treat these situations as a top priority. After a blow to the mouth, the deciding factors in saving the tooth are time and knowing how to react. Here is a quick medical guide on what to do straight away if you or one of your children suffers a hard knock to the teeth. Prevention and speed save smiles! 🛡️
Broken or knocked-out tooth: the first 60 minutes are the golden hour ⏱️
When a tooth takes a heavy impact, the tissues holding it to the bone and the nerve inside suffer a deep shock. What you do in the first hour after the accident will largely determine whether the dentist can keep your natural tooth in your mouth.
There are two main scenarios after a dental injury, and each one calls for a very specific immediate response:
1. The tooth has broken (fracture)
If the knock has broken off a piece of the tooth, the priority is to recover the fragment if possible.
- What to do: find the fragment, rinse it gently with clean water (without rubbing the broken edge) and keep it in a glass of milk or saline solution from the chemist. Come to the clinic urgently: in many cases our specialists can bond your own fragment back in place with advanced aesthetic composites, as long as the nerve is not exposed.
2. The tooth has come out completely (avulsion)
This is the most serious case, common in bike falls, playing sport without a mouthguard or knocks against the edge of the pool. The whole tooth comes out, root included.
- What to do: pick the tooth up always by the crown (the visible white part), never by the root, as you could damage the living cells that allow it to reattach to the bone. If it has sand on it, rinse it with water for two seconds, but do not brush it or use soap.
- How to carry it: the tooth must stay moist. Put it straight into a container of whole milk or saline solution. If you are an adult and feel calm, you can carefully place it between your cheek and your back teeth so your own saliva protects it on the way to the clinic.
What will we do at our clinic in Torre del Mar? ⚙️
As soon as you arrive at our practice in Vélez-Málaga as an emergency, we start an immediate rescue protocol:
- Instant X-ray diagnosis: using low-dose digital radiography, we check right away for hidden fractures in the root of the tooth or in the jawbone that supports it.
- Replantation and splinting: if the tooth has come out whole and has been kept properly in milk, we can put it back in its socket and fix it to the neighbouring teeth with a thin temporary resin. This allows the ligaments to heal and the tooth to reattach to the bone naturally.
- Monitoring the nerve: over the following weeks we will check the state of the pulp (the nerve) to make sure the tooth is still receiving a blood supply, or whether it needs root canal treatment (endodontics) to prevent future infections.
Stay calm and act quickly in the Axarquía! 😊
Accidents happen when we least expect them, but having the right information (like the advice in our guide to handling dental emergencies) can make the difference between losing a permanent tooth and keeping it for life. Explain these simple steps to the youngest members of the family so they know how to react if it happens to them or a friend at the pool.
If you or a family member suffers a dental injury this summer, stay calm and come straight to Acosta Cubero Dental Clinic in Torre del Mar (Vélez-Málaga). We will be ready to deal with the emergency immediately and protect your oral health; if you can, contact us to book an urgent appointment while you are on your way. Enjoy your holidays safely! ✨
