Knocked-Out Tooth? What to Do in the First Hour

A knocked-out adult tooth is one of the few true minute-by-minute dental emergencies: act quickly and correctly and the tooth can often be saved, hesitate and it usually cannot. Here is exactly what to do.

The five steps, in order

1. Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the white part you normally see). Never touch or scrub the root; the delicate cells on it are what let it reattach.
2. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or, failing that, cold running water for a few seconds only. Do not wipe or dry it.
3. Put it back in the socket if you can. Push it gently but firmly into place the right way round, then bite softly on a clean cloth to hold it. This is by far the tooth’s best chance.
4. If you cannot reimplant it, store it in milk. Milk keeps the root cells alive for a few hours. Do not store it in water, and do not let it dry out. Holding it inside your cheek works in a pinch for an adult.
5. Get to a dentist within the hour. Call us on 01625 574609; we keep time in the diary for dental emergencies. Out of hours, call NHS 111.

When to go to A&E instead

A knocked-out tooth alone belongs at a dentist, not a hospital. Go to A&E first if there was any loss of consciousness, a suspected broken jaw, uncontrolled bleeding, or a swelling affecting your eye, swallowing or breathing.

Afterwards

A reimplanted tooth is usually splinted to its neighbours for a couple of weeks and may need root canal treatment later, which is a small price for keeping your own tooth. If a tooth cannot be saved, options range from a bridge to a dental implant, and we will talk you through them honestly.

Frequently asked questions

Can a knocked-out baby tooth be put back in?

No, never. Reimplanting a baby tooth can damage the adult tooth developing underneath it. Comfort your child, control any bleeding with a clean cloth, and see a dentist to check nothing else is injured.

What if the tooth is chipped rather than knocked out?

Save any fragments in milk and call your dentist. A chipped tooth is rarely an out-of-hours emergency unless it is very painful, but sharp edges and exposed dentine are worth treating promptly. Chips can often be repaired invisibly with composite bonding.

How long can a knocked-out tooth survive?

The best results come from reimplantation within 30 to 60 minutes. Stored dry, the root surface cells start dying within minutes; stored in milk, the window stretches to a few hours. Speed matters more than anything else you do.

Keep our number somewhere findable: 01625 574609. The first hour is the one that counts.

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