What to Do If You Knock Out a Tooth

Ask any dentist in Morristown, TN, and they will tell you that dental emergencies can happen at any time. Unfortunately, if you aren’t prepared or don’t know what to do, that incident could result in permanent tooth loss. Knocking out a tooth is one of those dental emergencies. So let’s go over exactly what you need to do immediately after knocking out a tooth if you want to save it.

What to Do If You Knock Out a Tooth

Knocking out a tooth is considered a medical emergency, and how quickly you act will determine the outcome. If your child loses a baby tooth, don’t try to re-insert it but take your child to the dentist right away. However, things are different if you knock out an adult tooth.

If you knock out an adult tooth, try to put it back in place as best you can, then go to your dentist immediately. Time is of the essence. If you can’t see your regular dentist immediately, you might need to go to an emergency dental service.

If you can’t put that tooth back in place while you get to the dentist, go ahead and rinse that tooth in milk (not water), then put that tooth in some milk (not water) to preserve it while you are driving to the dentist or emergency dental service.

Step By Step Instructions for a Knocked-Out Tooth

• Locate the knocked-out tooth.
• Only handle that tooth by the crown (the top white part of the tooth), never by the root.
• Rinse the tooth with milk or lick it if you don’t have any milk readily available.
• Try to put your tooth back into its original position (unless it’s a baby tooth).
• Bite on a cloth to hold that tooth in place while you make your way to the dentist.
• Get to your dentist immediately or an emergency dental service if your dentist is not available.

The sooner a knocked-out tooth is re-implanted, the more likely that tooth can be saved. If you just have a broken tooth in Morristown, TN, locate the tooth fragment, store it in some milk, and see your dentist as soon as possible.

What’s Next

If you need a dentist in Morristown, TN, or any of the surrounding areas, please Contact Simple Dental today. We pride ourselves on providing quality, compassionate care in a comfortable environment.