What Do I Do If My Tooth Was Knocked Out?

Posted on 7/15/2016 by Allan Hablutzel

A man suffering from a knocked out tooth.

Your tooth has just been knocked clean out - is that the end of it? Not necessarily. What many patients don't realize is that in many situations, we can place your tooth right back into place if you follow some certain steps.

It is always best to save your natural tooth if possible. Following the suggestions below can help make that possible.

•	Find the tooth. If it is dirty, it is ok to rinse the tooth gently with water but DO NOT scrub any of the tissue or material from the tooth. This connective tissue may be important to your tooth being able to reattach.
•	The tooth needs to remain wet, DO NOT let it dry out. You can do this in a couple of different ways, either in your mouth or in a cup of milk.
•	If possible, place the tooth right back into place in its socket. Make sure the tooth is facing the correct way, and then place a wad of cloth or gauze in your mouth to help hold it in place until you can get to the dentist.
•	If you are unable to place it back in place, or if choking on it is a concern, place the tooth in a cup of milk.
•	Milk is a good way to store knocked out teeth because the cells from the root surface won't swell or burst as they would if placed in water. Milk also contains proteins to balance the acid to alkaline ratio and antibacterial substances and sugars to help keep cells growing.

Most importantly, contact our office as quickly as possible. When it comes to knock out teeth, time is imperative. Ideally, we would want to see you within one hour of your tooth being displaced. If these steps are taken, we may be able to save your tooth.

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