The inaugural Global Dental and Oral Trauma Day on September 21, 2024, promoted prevention and rapid, correct treatment of injuries to teeth, gums, lips, jaws and other oral structures. Dental-trauma specialist Liran Levin helped establish the observance through the International Association of Dental Traumatology.
Common incidents can cause lasting damage
Falls, sport, traffic crashes, workplace accidents and interpersonal violence can fracture, loosen or completely dislodge teeth. Soft-tissue wounds and jaw injury may accompany damage that initially looks limited to one tooth.
A prompt professional examination can identify injuries that are not obvious from appearance alone.
Prevention begins with ordinary protection
Properly fitted mouthguards reduce dental injury in contact and collision sports. Seat belts, child car seats, helmets where appropriate and safer play environments reduce the forces or falls that reach the face.
A mouthguard complements rather than replaces sport rules, supervision and concussion protocols.
An avulsed permanent tooth is time-sensitive
If an adult tooth is knocked out, it should be handled by the white crown and not the root. When dirty, it may be rinsed briefly and gently without scraping or disinfectant.
Immediate replantation can sometimes improve the chance of saving it, but only if the person is conscious and the situation is safe.
Safe storage helps when replantation is not possible
The tooth can be kept moist in a suitable preservation solution or cold milk while the patient reaches emergency dental care. Holding it inside the cheek creates a swallowing risk and is inappropriate for young children or anyone with impaired consciousness.
Plain water is generally a poor long-term storage medium for root cells.
A primary tooth should not be replanted
Putting a knocked-out baby tooth back into its socket can damage the developing permanent tooth beneath it. A dentist should still assess bleeding, fragments, bite changes and injury to nearby teeth.
Parents should not assume that a temporary tooth means the event has no lasting consequence.
Fractures and displacement also need urgent care
A broken fragment may sometimes be useful to the dentist and can be transported moist. A tooth pushed out of position, an altered bite, persistent bleeding, facial numbness or difficulty opening the mouth requires prompt assessment.
Severe bleeding, breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness or suspected neck injury warrants emergency medical services.
Follow-up continues after the first repair
Traumatized teeth can later develop infection, root changes, discolouration or loss of vitality. Scheduled clinical and radiographic monitoring is important even when pain subsides.
Children may need longer observation because teeth and jaws are still developing.
Public knowledge can improve outcomes
Schools, coaches and workplaces often have only minutes to make a useful decision before professional treatment. First-aid kits can include a dental-trauma instruction card and appropriate storage medium.
The awareness day focused on a practical message: prevent injury where possible, protect the airway and general health first, preserve a permanent tooth correctly and obtain expert care quickly. Individual treatment depends on the injury, so these steps support rather than replace a dentist’s assessment.
Recording how the injury occurred can also help clinicians choose appropriate imaging and follow-up.
