It can be incredibly stressful to deal with a knocked-out tooth. Not only do you not know what to do in the moment, but it's important to act quickly to save the tooth. That's why you'll want to know the following tips for saving your tooth and having it successfully reinserted into your mouth.

Find The Tooth

You'll want to stop everything that you're doing and find the tooth that just got knocked out. There is a serious risk of losing the tooth if you have to return to the area later or a chance that the tooth can be stepped on and damaged. If the tooth is knocked out while playing sports, make sure that play stops so that you can locate the tooth immediately.

Pick Up The Tooth By The Crown

How you handle the tooth after finding it is crucial to keep it alive. There are actually cells on the root of the tooth that are vital to its survival, and touching the tooth by the root can cause those cells to become damaged. Only grab the tooth by the crown, which is the part that you see when the tooth is in your mouth.

Do Not Scrub The Tooth 

If the tooth is dirty, it is important that you do not scrub the tooth for the same reasons that you do not want to touch the root. Scrubbing the tooth is going to damage those cells on the tooth and potentially cause the tooth to have problems being reinserted into your mouth. If you must wash the tooth off, rinse it off gently with water and avoid scrubbing the tooth. 

Keep The Tooth Moist

You'll want to take steps to keep the tooth moist to preserve those living cells. However, you do not want to keep the tooth in water. While water is fine for rinsing off the tooth, it can damage the tooth if it is submerged in water for a long time. This is because those important cells will actually absorb the water, eventually swell, and potentially burst. 

The solution is to put the tooth in a cup of milk or your own saliva. If you do not have access to a cup to put the tooth in, just place the tooth in your mouth and hold it against your cheek. This is the best option that is available to you if necessary in a pinch. 

With the tooth gathered and protected, you'll want to visit an emergency dentist as soon as possible.

For more information on dental emergencies, contact a professional near you.