Knocked-out adult tooth
The single most time-sensitive dental emergency. A permanent tooth can often be saved if it is back in the socket within 30 minutes, ideally sooner.
- 1 Pick it up by the crown Hold the white chewing surface, not the root. The root cells you do not see are what we are trying to keep alive.
- 2 Rinse it gently if dirty A quick rinse with milk or saline. Do not scrub, do not use soap, do not dry it.
- 3 Re-insert if you can Slide it back into the socket the way it came out and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it.
- 4 Otherwise, store in milk Cold milk is best. Saliva (cheek pocket) or saline are good too. Plain water is a last resort.
- 5 Call us on the way in We will pull staff into the next available room before you arrive so we can re-implant the second you walk in.
- Handle by the crown only
- Store in milk if not re-inserted
- Come straight in. Drive carefully
- Scrub or sterilize the root
- Let the tooth dry out
- Wrap it in tissue or paper