Tooth Knocked Out? Do These 5 Things in the Next 10 Minutes

Step 1: Stay Calm and Find the Tooth

Adrenaline is pumping. There may be blood. Take a breath. You have a few minutes to do this correctly, and doing it correctly dramatically increases the odds of saving the tooth. Look for it on the ground, in clothing, or in your mouth if it is still partly attached.

Step 2: Handle It Correctly

Pick up the tooth by the crown (the white part you normally see). Do not touch the root. The root surface is covered in periodontal ligament cells. These cells are what allow the tooth to reattach to the bone. Touching, scrubbing, or drying them destroys them.

If the tooth landed in something dirty (dirt, gravel), that is okay. Just rinse it gently in the next step.

Step 3: Rinse Gently

Hold the tooth under cool running water for no more than 10 seconds. Let the water flow over it. Do not scrub. Do not use soap, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or any cleaning solution. Do not wrap it in tissue or gauze, which absorbs moisture and kills root cells.

Step 4: Try to Reinsert It Into the Socket

This is the best thing you can do for the tooth. Position it facing the right way (look at the matching tooth on the other side for reference) and push it gently into the empty socket. Once seated, bite down on a clean cloth or folded gauze to hold it in place.

If the thought of pushing it in makes you queasy, if there is too much swelling, or if it is a child who is too upset to cooperate, skip this step and go to Step 5.

Step 5: If You Cannot Reinsert It, Store It in Milk

Place the tooth in a small cup of cold milk. Milk maintains the right conditions for root cell survival for up to 60 minutes. If milk is not available, use saline solution (contact lens solution works). As a last resort, the patient can hold the tooth in their cheek, against the gum, where saliva provides a reasonable short-term environment.

Do not store it in water. Water is hypotonic and kills root cells faster than air.

Now Call (954) 807-1840

Tell us a tooth has been knocked out and that you are on your way. We will prepare for your arrival. Our clinic at 330 SW 13th St, Fort Lauderdale is open 7 days a week, 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM.

Why Time Matters

Reimplantation within 30 minutes has a success rate above 85%. Between 30 and 60 minutes, rates drop to about 50% to 70%. After 60 minutes dry, the periodontal ligament cells are mostly dead, and long-term prognosis worsens significantly. The tooth can still be placed back, but the body treats it more like a foreign object and will slowly resorb the root over years.

Sports Mouth Guard Advice

Fort Lauderdale residents are active. Beach sports, cycling, basketball, skateboarding, martial arts: all carry tooth-injury risk. A custom-fitted mouth guard from your dentist costs $30 to $50 and prevents thousands of dollars in emergency dental work. Over-the-counter boil-and-bite guards offer some protection but fit less precisely.

Children's Teeth: Different Rules

If a child under 6 knocks out a baby tooth, do not reimplant it. Baby teeth have short roots and can damage the developing permanent tooth bud if pushed back in. Control the bleeding with wet gauze, apply a cold compress to the lip, and bring the child in for an X-ray to check the permanent tooth.

If a child or teenager knocks out a permanent tooth, follow all 5 steps above. Kids' permanent teeth often reimplant very successfully because the jawbone is still growing and blood supply is strong.

Frequently Asked Questions