What to do if your child’s tooth gets knocked out
Fall sports season means chipped and knocked-out teeth. Here’s the one-minute version, and when to call.
It happens at soccer practice and on the playground. The first thirty minutes matter.
A knocked-out adult tooth
Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown, the white part, not the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it gently with milk or water for a few seconds. Don’t scrub it or wipe it with a cloth. Put it back in the socket if you can and have your child bite gently on a clean cloth, or keep it in a cup of milk. Then call us right away at (585) 555-0142 and come in. We’ll see you the same day.
A knocked-out baby tooth
Don’t put it back in. Call us, though: we’ll check that nothing is left in the gum.
When to go to the emergency room
If your child was knocked out, vomited, or seems confused after a hit to the head, go to the emergency room first.