Knocked-Out Tooth: What to Do Straight Away

Knocked-Out Tooth: What to Do Straight Away

14th October 2026

A tooth knocked out in a fall, a tackle or a bump to the face is a dental emergency. An adult tooth can sometimes be put back and kept, and what you do in the first few minutes makes a real difference to its chances. This guide sets out the steps, based on NHS advice, so you know what to do if it happens to you or your child.

Adult tooth first aid

1. Pick the tooth up by the crown. The crown is the white part you normally see in the mouth. Try not to touch the root, which is delicate and needs to stay as undamaged as possible.
2. Rinse it only if it is dirty. Rinse it gently in milk, saline or saliva. Do not scrub it.
3. Try to put it back in the socket. Check it is the right way round. If it goes in easily, bite gently on a clean cloth or handkerchief to hold it in place.
4. If it will not go back, keep it moist. Put it in a small container of milk, or in saliva. To collect saliva, spit into a clean container. If it is a child’s tooth, the child spits into the container. Do not let the tooth dry out, and do not force it into the socket.
5. Get to a dentist as soon as possible. Call straight away and bring the tooth with you.

Baby teeth

Do not put a knocked-out baby tooth back. Pushing it into the socket could damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Still call us, so we can check your child’s gums and the teeth around the gap, which may also have taken the knock. Smaller injuries are covered in our article What to do if baby chips a tooth.

A tooth you cannot find

If the tooth is lost, the NHS still advises getting an emergency dental appointment as soon as possible. A dentist needs to look at the socket, the gum and the teeth around it, and check for any other damage from the knock.

Head injuries first

If the knock also hit the head, check the NHS head injury advice before anything else. The NHS says to call 999 if the person was knocked out and has not woken up, cannot stay awake, has a seizure, or has problems with their vision, speech or balance, among other signs. The tooth can wait. A serious head injury cannot.

Chipped and cracked teeth

Not every knock takes a whole tooth out. A tooth can chip, crack or be pushed out of position. Keep any broken pieces, rinse your mouth with warm water, and use a cold compress on the outside of your face to help with swelling. Some cracks are hard to see, so it is worth having the tooth checked even if it looks fine. Our article Can a cracked tooth be fixed? explains the treatment options.

Mouthguards for sport

Many knocked-out teeth happen during contact sport. A mouthguard made from a mould of your own teeth fits more closely than a shop-bought one, so it is easier to wear for a whole match. We explain the difference in Why a custom mouthguard is better than a shop-bought one.

Emergency appointments

If you or your child knocks out a tooth, call The Edge Dental on 01625 599 001 as soon as you can and tell us what has happened, so we can see you as quickly as possible. If we are closed, call the same number. More about toothache, broken teeth and other urgent problems is on our emergency dental care page.