What To Do If You (Or Your Kid) Knock A Tooth Out

Knocking out a tooth is a painful and potentially scary event, but how you act after you or your kid knocks out a tooth can make a difference. For one thing, there is a difference in how our dentists will address a knocked-out baby tooth versus a knocked-out permanent tooth. Also, the quicker you react after a tooth has been knocked out of its socket, the better the results our dentists can provide.

One of the most important things you should do when you or your kid knocks out a tooth is to call us for a dental emergency so that our dentists can see you as soon as possible.

What To Do About A Knocked-Out Baby Tooth

If a child has knocked out a baby tooth, it is often not as serious an issue as knocking out a permanent tooth. Your kid should still come in and see our dentists so that your child’s mouth can be examined and x-rayed. Our dentists will look to see if other teeth were affected by having one knocked out, or if there was damage to the jawbone.

One of the dental services we can provide for a child with a knocked-out baby tooth is to place a spacer in the gap. That way, your kid’s teeth won’t shift and impede the eventual eruption of the permanent tooth. Parents can have their kids fitted for a fake tooth to cover the empty spot, but since it is not unusual for kids to have missing baby teeth, most parents don’t opt for this pricey option.

Also, if your child managed to swallow their baby tooth when they knocked it out, you don’t need to worry. Like most substances, your child’s stomach acid will take care of the tooth, though you may need to out yourself as the Tooth Fairy if your child gets upset about their missing tooth money!

How To Fix A Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth

On the more serious side, if you or your kid knock out a permanent tooth, it needs to be taken care of immediately by our dentists. The sooner the knocked-out tooth is taken care of, the more likely that our dentists will be able to save your tooth.

To save a permanent tooth that has been knocked out, follow these steps:

1. Find the knocked-out tooth. When it is located, pick it up only by the crown. Do not touch the root or remove any tissue.
2. While holding the tooth, gently rinse it off under lukewarm tap water, allowing the water to just fly over the tooth. Don’t touch the knocked-out tooth or scrub it.
3. Place the tooth back in the socket if possible. If you can’t put the knocked-out tooth back in, put it in a glass of milk, as milk has the right proteins to maintain the tooth root cells.
4. Call the nearest Riverside Dental Care office and schedule a dental emergency.

Once you have an appointment, head on over to our dental clinic. For knocked-out teeth, we do our best to ensure that an individual is seen within 30 minutes of having the tooth knocked out.

Address A Knocked-Out Tooth Within 30 Minutes

Within that 30-minute window, there is the highest potential to save a knocked-out tooth. That is why we always recommend you do your best to have you or your child’s knocked-out tooth taken care of in that time frame.

If you need help with a knocked-out tooth or a different dental emergency, please contact us today and be sure to tell our front desk staff about your emergency. We will do our best to ensure we see you same-day to address your dental emergency.