Knocked Out a Tooth? Take These Steps in the Next 30 Minutes

Imagine you're enjoying a ride on an e-scooter or playing a game of pickup basketball when a sudden fall happens. You realize you've just knocked out a tooth. It's a scary, bloody moment, but what you do in the next half hour will decide if you keep your natural smile or face expensive surgeries later. 

A knocked-out tooth, known medically as an avulsion (the complete displacement of a tooth from its socket), is one of the few true emergencies in dentistry. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI, 2024), over 5 million teeth are knocked out every year in the US. The good news is that if you act within 30 minutes, there's a high chance we can save it. 

At Village Dental, Dr. Anderson and our team want you to be prepared for this biological countdown. Here's exactly how to handle those critical first minutes.

What should you do immediately after you've knocked out a tooth?

Find the tooth immediately, handle it only by the crown, and try to gently place it back into the socket. This is the best way to protect the tissue network that anchors the tooth to your jaw.

Here is how to perform each step correctly:

1. Find the tooth 

Locate it quickly and pick it up by the crown, which is the white chewing surface you usually see in your mouth.

2. Handle the crown only

Never touch the yellowish root. The root is covered in living cells that are easily crushed by your fingers.

3. Rinse gently 

If the tooth is dirty, rinse it for no more than 10 seconds using cold milk or your own saliva. Don't use soap or chemicals, and don't scrub it.

4. Replant the tooth

 Gently push the tooth back into its socket and bite down softly on a clean cloth to hold it in place.

Please remember that you should only try to replant permanent adult teeth. You shouldn't ever try to put a baby tooth back in because it can damage the adult tooth growing underneath the gums.

Where should you store the tooth if you can't put it back?

 If you can't replant the tooth in the socket, store it in a container of cold cow's milk or a specialized salt solution to keep the cells alive. Never store a knocked-out tooth in plain tap water.

Tap water is actually lethal to the cells on the tooth root. Because of the way water interacts with human cells, it causes them to swell and violently burst. You also shouldn't wrap the tooth in a dry tissue or napkin, as this dehydrates the cells and kills them within minutes.

The Cleveland Clinic notes that milk is an ideal storage medium because it has the right balance of proteins and sugars to keep the root cells healthy while you travel to our office. 

If you don't have milk, you can tuck the tooth inside your cheek to keep it moist with saliva, although you shouldn't do this with young children who might accidentally swallow it.

Why is acting fast so important for your long-term health?

 Acting fast is vital because the body's immune system will eventually reject a tooth if the root cells have died. If the tooth stays dry for more than 60 minutes, the chance of it reattaching successfully drops significantly. 

When we can save your natural tooth, we preserve your natural jawbone and gum shape, which is much harder to do with artificial replacements. 

By taking these simple steps in the first 30 minutes, you're saving yourself time and stress.

If you've experienced a dental injury, don't wait for the pain to get worse. Every second counts when it comes to saving your smile. Contact our office immediately so Dr. Anderson and our team can provide the emergency care you need to protect your oral health.