How to save a knocked out tooth
Handle an avulsed permanent tooth by its crown, keep it moist and obtain urgent dental care while avoiding damage to its root.
The short answer
Pick up a knocked-out permanent tooth by the crown, not the root; if dirty, rinse it briefly with milk or saline without scrubbing, then place it back in its socket if this is easy. If replacement is not possible, keep it moist in milk or a tooth-preservation solution and obtain urgent dental care, while a baby tooth should not be replanted.
What is the direct answer?
What does this question mean?
A knocked-out tooth is an avulsion, meaning the tooth has been completely displaced from its socket and the periodontal ligament on its root has been injured. The exposed root surface is delicate, and drying or scrubbing it can damage cells needed during treatment.
What can you do next?
Control mouth bleeding with gentle pressure on clean gauze, protect the tooth from swallowing and keep the person calm. A dentist may clean the socket, reposition and splint the tooth to neighboring teeth, check the pulp and monitor healing; antibiotics or root canal treatment may be considered when clinically indicated.
When should you seek dental care?
Treat an avulsed permanent tooth as an emergency and contact a dentist immediately, even if it has been out for some time. Seek emergency medical care for loss of consciousness, vomiting, severe facial injury or breathing difficulty after the impact.
What should you ask the dentist?
Tell the dentist when and how the tooth was displaced, whether it was stored moist and whether it is a permanent tooth. Ask about socket repair, splint duration, pulp monitoring, follow-up imaging and care for any associated lip, jaw or gum injury.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put the tooth in tap water?
Water is not the preferred storage medium; use milk or a tooth-preservation solution and seek urgent care.
What if the tooth is covered in dirt?
Rinse it briefly with milk or saline without brushing, scraping or touching the root surface.