First Steps for a Broken or Knocked-Out Tooth
If the tooth is fully out, hold it by the crown, place it back in its socket if possible and keep it stable by biting gently. If you cannot reposition it, keep it in a cup of milk or in your mouth against the inner cheek with saliva; do not keep it in water or dry. If the tooth is fractured, bring the broken piece too, rinse your mouth with warm water and apply pressure with clean gauze if there is bleeding.
What not to do?
Do not hold the tooth by the root, do not brush it, and do not clean it with detergent or alcohol. Do not keep it in water for long; water damages the living cells on the root surface. These cells are needed for the tooth to reattach.
How Quickly Should You Reach the Clinic?
For a fully avulsed permanent tooth the target is the first hour; the sooner you arrive, the higher the lasting success. For a fractured tooth too, early care prevents the nerve from being exposed and inflamed. In both cases, calling first and then setting out lets us take you in without delay.
