How to Administer First Aid to Dislodged Teeth

A tooth may be dislodged during any kind of activity from playing football to taking an unfortunate fall. Children are particularly prone to knocking out a tooth, but there's no need to panic no matter what has happened. As long as you keep a few key steps in mind you should be able to save a permanent tooth and have it re-implanted in the socket.

Things You'll Need

• Milk
• Moist washcloth or gauze (optional)
• Tin foil (optional)
• Packed ice (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Pick up the dislodged tooth by the crown, not by the root. Only touch the tooth where enamel is present.

• 2

  Rinse the tooth with saliva or cold milk if the tooth is dirty. Milk is a better alternative than tap water since water contains chlorine, which can damage the root cells. If you have no other option than water, then it may be used, but do not rinse the tooth in water any longer than one or two seconds.

• 3

  Replace the tooth immediately into the socket. Studies show that a tooth left dry, or out of the socket, for longer than five minutes may not have a chance to be replaced at all, while those reinserted within five minutes have a very good chance of being successfully re-implanted.

• 4

  Hold the tooth firmly in the socket. You may do this with your finger or by biting down on a damp washcloth or gauze with the dislodged teeth. Though biting down is the best way to hold the teeth in place because it helps reduce bleeding and pain, you may also hold the tooth in place by folding a piece of tinfoil over the dislodged teeth and the healthy teeth beside it.

• 5

  Seek professional dental treatment immediately. But know that baby teeth will inevitably be replaced by the adult tooth anyway; a knocked out baby tooth is no cause for concern, though you should still take the child to a dentist as soon as possible to check for any damage to the jaw.