What to Do in the First Hour After a Tooth Is Knocked Out

A permanent tooth that has been knocked out entirely is time-critical. The steps below are standard first aid, not treatment, and they are worth reading before you ever need them because there is no time to look them up afterwards.

Handle it by the crown

Pick the tooth up by the chewing surface, never by the root. The root surface carries cells that matter for reattachment, and scrubbing or wiping them off works against you. If the tooth is dirty, rinse it briefly with milk or saline. Do not scrub it and do not use soap.

Put it back if you can

The best place for the tooth is the socket it came from. If it goes back in, hold it in place by biting gently on a clean cloth or gauze. If it will not go back or you are not comfortable doing it, keep it moist instead — milk is the usual recommendation, or saliva held against the inside of the cheek for someone old enough not to swallow it. Do not let it dry out and do not store it in plain water.

Baby teeth are different

A knocked-out baby tooth is not put back in, because reimplanting it can affect the permanent tooth developing underneath. Still get the child seen, and keep the tooth so it can be checked that the whole thing came out.

Know which situations are not dental first

Spreading facial swelling, swelling with a fever, or any difficulty breathing or swallowing means going to an emergency room or urgent care right away rather than waiting for a dental appointment. The same goes for bleeding you cannot control and injuries to the jaw or head. Those are medical situations, and a dental booking is the wrong tool for them.

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