A knocked-out adult tooth is one of the few genuine dental emergencies where minutes really do count. Handled correctly, a tooth that has been completely knocked out can often be put back and survive. Handled badly, or left too long, it usually cannot.
If this has just happened to you or your child, here is what to do.
Act within 30 minutes if you can
The single biggest factor in whether a knocked-out tooth can be saved is how quickly it is put back into the socket. Under 30 minutes gives the best chance. After about an hour, the odds fall sharply. So read the next section quickly, then call a dentist.
What to do, step by step
- Pick the tooth up by the crown — the white part you normally see. Never touch the root.
- If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk, or in saline if you have it. A few seconds under cold running water will do if that is all you have. Do not scrub it.
- Try to put it back in the socket, the right way round, and bite gently on a clean handkerchief to hold it there. This is the best possible transport method.
- If you cannot reinsert it, keep it in a small container of milk. Milk is far better than water. Saliva works too — holding it inside the cheek is an option for an adult, though not for a young child who might swallow it.
- Call a dentist immediately and say a tooth has been knocked out, so you are prioritised.
What never to do
- Do not hold the tooth by the root — the fibres on the root surface are what allow it to reattach
- Do not scrub, wipe or disinfect it
- Do not let it dry out; a tooth left on a bedside table is usually lost
- Do not store it in tap water for any length of time — it damages the root cells
Baby teeth are different
A knocked-out baby tooth should not be put back. Reinserting it can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Keep the area clean, use a cold compress for swelling, and still get your child seen so we can check nothing else has been damaged.
When to go to A&E instead
An emergency dentist is the right call for most urgent dental problems, but not all of them. Go to A&E or call 999 if you have facial swelling that is spreading towards your eye or affecting your breathing or swallowing, bleeding from the mouth that will not stop, or a dental injury following a serious accident or head injury. These need hospital care, not a dental chair.
Getting seen quickly in Kingston
We keep time aside every day for urgent problems at our practice on Cambridge Road in Norbiton, a short walk from Norbiton station and close to Kingston Hospital, with free parking on our own forecourt. You do not need to be a registered patient.
Call us on 020 3878 7465 and tell reception a tooth has been knocked out. Read more about how we handle urgent cases on our same-day emergency dentist in Kingston page.
