Knocked-out tooth — minutes matter.

The single most important thing: keep the tooth moist, and get to our office as fast as you can.

Step 1 — find the tooth

Pick it up by the crown (the white part you normally see), not by the root. The root surface has delicate fibers that need to stay intact for the tooth to reattach after reimplantation.

Step 2 — rinse, but don’t scrub

If the tooth is dirty, rinse it briefly with milk, saline, or clean water. Do not scrub it. Do not use soap. Do not dry it with a towel. The root surface needs to stay slick and moist. Scrubbing damages the cells that allow the tooth to reattach.

Step 3 — try to put it back in the socket

If you can do it cleanly, the best place for a knocked-out tooth is back in the socket it came from. Hold it in place gently with a clean fingertip or by biting down softly on a clean piece of gauze. This is what gives the tooth the best chance of surviving long-term.

If you can’t get it back in — or you’re not sure you’d be doing it right — that’s okay. Go to step 4.

Step 4 — transport it in milk or saliva

A glass of milk is the best transport medium readily available in most kitchens. The minerals and pH protect the root cells better than water. If milk isn’t available, hold the tooth between your cheek and gum (if you’re an adult and not at risk of swallowing it), or use saliva spit into a small container. Avoid plain water — it actually damages the root cells.

Step 5 — get to our office

Call 540-337-6004on the way and tell our front desk what’s happened. We’ll be ready when you arrive. The best outcomes happen when reimplantation occurs within 30 minutes of the injury. Up to about an hour, success is still likely. After that, the odds of long-term success drop significantly — but it’s still worth trying, because every situation is different.

A note about baby teeth

Knocked-out babyteeth should generally not be reimplanted — putting one back can damage the permanent tooth developing underneath. Still call us, but the urgency is different. We’ll evaluate, manage any bleeding, and discuss what to expect as the permanent tooth comes in.

After hours

If a tooth is knocked out after our clinical hours and you can’t reach us, an emergency room or urgent care can reimplant the tooth temporarily and stabilize you. Then come see us first thing the next morning.