Dental Emergencies

Knocked-out (avulsed) tooth

A knocked-out adult tooth is an emergency; act fast to save it.

✓ Clinician-reviewedReviewed June 20262 min read

Illustration: Knocked-out (avulsed) tooth

Urgency

Immediate

Hold by

The crown

Store in

Milk or saliva

Baby tooth

Do not re-implant

Overview

If an adult tooth is knocked out, the next few minutes really matter. The sooner it is back in place or kept moist, the better the chance of saving it.

Handle the tooth carefully and see a dentist straight away. Never try to re-implant a child's baby tooth.

What to know

An adult tooth out of its socket is time-critical
Hold it by the crown, never the root
Re-implant it gently if you can, or keep it in milk
Do not re-implant a baby tooth

Caring for it

Pick the tooth up by the white crown, not the root.
If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or cool water; do not scrub it.
If you can, gently push the adult tooth back into its socket the right way round.
Hold it in place by biting softly on a clean cloth.
If you cannot re-implant it, keep it in milk, or tucked inside the cheek.
Do not let the tooth dry out and do not store it in plain water for long.
See a dentist immediately; time out of the socket is critical.