Prevention
Knocked-out permanent tooth: what to do right away
Time matters when a permanent tooth is avulsed. Hold the crown, avoid touching the root and seek emergency dental care.
When an injury completely dislodges a permanent adult tooth from its socket, this is called tooth avulsion. It is a time-sensitive dental emergency. The situation is different from a loose tooth, a chipped tooth or a baby tooth that has been knocked out.
First, assess the person's overall safety
If someone has lost consciousness, has serious bleeding or head injuries, cannot breathe normally, or has other severe injuries, seek emergency medical care immediately. If the injury appears confined to the teeth, contact an emergency dental service straight away. Do not wait for pain to settle.
What to do with a permanent tooth
- Find it and hold it by the crown, the white chewing part. Do not scrape or touch the root.
- If dirty, gently rinse for a few seconds using milk or saline solution. Do not scrub it, use soap or remove attached tissue.
- If the person is conscious and cooperative and it is safe to do so, the tooth may be gently returned to its original position without force. Biting carefully on clean gauze can help keep it in place until a dentist takes over.
- If reinsertion is not possible, keep the tooth moist in milk or an appropriate tooth-preservation solution and get dental care immediately.
Do not attempt reinsertion if you are unsure whether the tooth is permanent, how to position it, or whether doing so is safe. Do not put a loose tooth inside a young child's mouth because it could cause choking.
Never reinsert a knocked-out baby tooth
A primary tooth should not be replanted. Doing so could damage the developing permanent tooth beneath it. A dentist should still assess the child for tissue damage and other injuries, but the approach is different.
What if only part of a tooth broke off?
Keep the fragment if you can and read our broken tooth guide. A fracture is not the same as a completely avulsed tooth. After emergency treatment, your dentist may advise follow-up examinations to monitor healing and tooth vitality.
RR Estudio Dental's preventive care service can advise on injury prevention and later follow-up, but immediate emergency appointment availability is not guaranteed. Go to an available emergency dental provider without delay.