Knocked-Out Tooth? Every Minute Counts

What to Do Right Now — Step by Step

Follow these steps carefully. How you handle the tooth in the first few minutes dramatically affects whether it can be saved.

1. Find the tooth — locate it immediately. Handle it ONLY by the crown (the white part you see when you smile). Never touch the root.
2. Gently rinse if dirty — if the tooth fell on the ground, hold it by the crown and rinse gently with milk or saline. Do NOT scrub, scrape, or use soap or chemicals. Do NOT dry it or wrap it in tissue.
3. Try to reimplant it — if possible, gently push the tooth back into the socket facing the right direction. Bite down on a clean cloth to hold it in place. This gives the best chance of survival.
4. If you can’t reimplant it — place the tooth in one of these (in order of preference):
   • Milk (best readily available option)
   • Saliva (hold the tooth between your cheek and gum, or spit into a container and put the tooth in)
   • Saline solution (contact lens solution works)
   Never store it in water — water damages the root cells.
5. Control bleeding — bite down on a folded gauze pad placed in the empty socket.
6. Get to our office within 30 minutes — call (480) 660-4598 on the way so we can prepare for your arrival.