What To Do If Your Tooth Is Knocked Out

Knocked-Out Teeth: What To Do

Knocked-out teeth are commonly the result of an impact to the jaw or face.

If you are dealing with knocked-out teeth, take the following steps:

1. Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (don’t touch the root).

Immediately after you lose your tooth you'll want to pick up your tooth but make sure you only touch the crown, which is the part that is exposed above the gum line when it is in your mouth.

2. Rinse the tooth gently with water if it’s dirty.

Use only water to rinse any debris or dirt from the tooth. Avoid using chemicals or soap. Do not scrub or dry the tooth, or wrap it in cloth or tissue, as any of these actions may result in damage.

3. If possible, place the tooth back in the socket.

Try putting the tooth back in its socket right away. You can try to gently push it in (continuing to touch the crown only, not the root). Another option is to try positioning it above the socket.

Close your mouth slowly to push it in. Using a finger, hold the tooth in place. You might also bite down on it.

4. Make sure to keep your tooth moist.

If you can't get your tooth back in it's socket, you'll need to keep it moist until you get to your dentist. You can put your tooth in a cup of milk or place it in your mouth next to your cheek. Avoid storing it in regular tap water, as the root surface cells will not be able to tolerate water for an extended period of time.

Using this method of preserving a tooth may increase the likelihood of your dentist being able to replace it.

5. You will need to get to a dentist within 30 minutes of the injury.

Ideally, you should go to your dentist’s office within 30 minutes of losing any teeth. However, it may still be possible for your dentist to save a tooth if it has been outside the mouth for an hour or more.

How To Prepare For A Dental Emergency At Home

Dental emergencies can happen any time of the day or night. There are some things you can do at home to prepare in case you experience one.

Keep these things around the house at all times, as they are handy to have in a dental emergency:

Gauze
Ice pack
Over-the-counter painkillers (such as ibuprofen)
Small container with a lid to preserve a knocked-out tooth
The phone number of our Winnipeg dentist’s office

Type "dentist near me" into your favourite search engine, and our information will likely come up. As soon as you feel safe and are able to call our office, do so. We will make room in our schedule to see you as soon as possible.