What Should I Do If I Knock Out a Tooth?

If you knock out a permanent tooth, act quickly. Pick up the tooth by the crown, avoid touching the root, keep it moist, and call a dentist right away. A knocked-out permanent tooth has the best chance of being saved when it is handled carefully and treated as soon as possible.

Do not scrub the tooth, let it dry out, or wrap it in a napkin. If there is heavy bleeding, severe facial trauma, possible broken jaw, head injury, trouble breathing, or another medical emergency, go to the emergency room first.

What Should You Do First If a Tooth Is Knocked Out?

The first step is to find the tooth and handle it carefully. Hold the tooth by the crown, which is the white part normally visible in the mouth. Avoid touching the root because the root surface is important for possible reattachment.

If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it with milk or saline if available. Do not scrub it, scrape it, use soap, or remove tissue attached to the root.

Keep the Tooth Moist

A knocked-out tooth should not be allowed to dry out. If the tooth is a permanent adult tooth and it can be placed back into the socket safely, gently repositioning it may help protect the root surface. If you are not comfortable doing that, keep the tooth moist and call a dentist immediately.

Good options for keeping the tooth moist may include:

• Milk
• A tooth preservation kit, if available
• Holding the tooth in the mouth between the cheek and gums, if safe
• Saline, if available

Do not store the tooth dry in a tissue, paper towel, plastic bag without liquid, or napkin. Avoid storing it in plain water if milk, saline, or a tooth preservation kit is available. If the tooth dries out, the chance of saving it may decrease.

Is a Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency?

Yes. A knocked-out permanent tooth is a dental emergency. The best chance of saving the tooth is usually when it is placed back or treated within about 30 minutes. If the tooth has been out longer, especially more than 60 minutes dry, the prognosis becomes much worse, but you should still call a dentist immediately.

Call an emergency dentist right away. If you are unsure whether to call a dentist or go to the emergency room, our Emergency Dentist vs. Emergency Room page explains how to decide.

What If It Is a Baby Tooth?

If a baby tooth is knocked out, do not try to put it back into the socket. Reimplanting a baby tooth can damage the developing permanent tooth underneath.

Instead, find the tooth if possible, control bleeding with gentle pressure, and call a dentist for guidance. A dentist can check whether the entire tooth came out, whether nearby teeth or gums were injured, and whether follow-up care is needed.

When Should You Go to the Emergency Room?

Some dental injuries need medical attention first. Go to the emergency room right away if the knocked-out tooth happened with:

• Head injury or loss of consciousness
• Possible broken jaw
• Severe facial trauma
• Deep cuts or uncontrolled bleeding
• Trouble breathing or swallowing
• Severe dizziness, confusion, or vomiting after the injury
• Injury from a serious fall, accident, or assault

After medical concerns are addressed, dental treatment may still be needed to evaluate the knocked-out tooth, nearby teeth, gums, bone, and bite.

What Happens at the Dentist After a Tooth Is Knocked Out?

A dentist may evaluate the tooth, socket, gums, nearby teeth, bite, and dental X-rays. If the tooth is a permanent tooth and conditions are favorable, the dentist may try to replant it and stabilize it with a splint.

Follow-up care is important. A knocked-out permanent tooth may later need additional treatment, such as root canal treatment, depending on the tooth, root development, timing, and injury pattern.

What If the Tooth Cannot Be Saved?

Sometimes a knocked-out tooth cannot be saved, especially if it has been dry too long, is damaged, or the surrounding bone and gums are severely injured. If that happens, the dentist can explain replacement options after the area is stable.

Depending on the situation, future options may include a temporary replacement, bridge, dental implant evaluation, or another treatment plan. If the injury involved a broken tooth rather than a fully knocked-out tooth, our What Should I Do If I Chip My Tooth? page may be more relevant.

Why Time and Storage Matter

Personal insight: In our office, the first questions are usually whether the tooth is a permanent tooth, how long it has been out, whether it stayed moist, and whether there were other injuries. A tooth kept moist and treated quickly has a better chance than one that has been dry for a long time.

Even if you are not sure what kind of tooth it is or whether it can be saved, call quickly. Getting guidance early is better than waiting and losing time.

So, What Should You Do If You Knock Out a Tooth?

If it is a permanent tooth, pick it up by the crown, avoid touching the root, keep it moist, and call a dentist immediately. Do not scrub the tooth or let it dry out. If there are serious medical injuries, go to the emergency room first.

If it is a baby tooth, do not put it back into the socket. Call a dentist so the area can be evaluated and the next step can be explained.

Reviewed by Brian Choi, DMD
General Dentist at Bailey Family Dental in Whittier, CA
Updated: July 2026