Picture this: you’re playing a game of pickup basketball and take an elbow to the mouth. Before you know it, your gums are on fire and your tooth is on the ground. In this scenario, is it gone for good, or can you just pop it back in like nothing happened? It’s possible to reinsert a knocked-out tooth yourself—but only under very specific conditions. Here’s an action plan so you don’t second-guess yourself in a time of crisis.
Stay Calm and Handle Your Knocked-Out Tooth Carefully
If your tooth is knocked out (dentists call this an avulsed tooth), you have a small window of about 30 to 60 minutes to act. The faster you respond, the better your chances of saving the tooth. Find it quickly and examine it. If it looks intact and isn’t broken, there’s a chance it can be reimplanted. But how you handle it is critical.
Only touch the white, chewing part of the tooth (the crown). Avoid touching the root—that’s the fragile part that needs to stay intact. Rinse it gently with clean water if it’s dirty, but don’t scrub or use soap.
Try to Put Your Tooth Back into Its Socket
If you feel comfortable, you can try to place the tooth back in the socket yourself, but you’ll need to be careful. Use a mirror to line it up with the socket and gently press it into place. Once your knocked-out tooth is back in its socket, hold it there by biting down softly on gauze or a clean cloth.
If it won’t go in easily, don’t force it. You can still save the tooth if you store it properly and get to a dentist quickly.
Store the Knocked-Out Tooth for Transport
If you can’t reinsert your tooth, it must be kept moist in another way. The best options are placing it in a container of milk, tucking it into your cheek, or using a preservation kit. Because of the delicate tissues that must be preserved on the tooth root, don’t use water.
The cells clinging to the tooth are highly sensitive to water absorption. If exposed to plain water, they may swell and burst, preventing the tooth from being successfully reimplanted.
See Your Dentist
Whether or not you reinsert the tooth yourself, call your dentist immediately or head to an emergency dental clinic. The sooner a professional can treat you, the better your odds of keeping your natural tooth.
So, while you can put your knocked-out tooth back in yourself, treatment shouldn’t end there. No matter what, you’ll need to see your dentist for proper care and support so that your smile stays secure. In the worst-case scenario, at least they’ll be there to help guide you through replacement options to get you back to having a gorgeous grin.
About the Practice
At Dentistry At Windermere, we’re dedicated to strengthening your smile and helping you find relief from pain. We handle dental emergencies with skill, speed, and compassion—often on the same day! If you’ve experienced a knocked-out tooth or oral injury, don’t wait—call (770) 205-1212 to schedule an emergency appointment with us or visit our website to see a full menu of services.