It’s never pleasant to knock out a tooth, but it’s even more unnerving when you realize that they’ve knocked out a permanent tooth. Here’s what you need to know about treating a knocked-out permanent tooth.

Apply a cold compress, like a cool, wet washcloth to your mouth to stop the bleeding and minimize swelling. If you can find their tooth, pick it up by the crown (the part that you usually see above your gum line). Avoid touching the tooth’s root.

Rinse the tooth with milk to clean it and gently push it back into the tooth socket. Hold the tooth in place with gauze or a washcloth. If you can’t or won’t hold the tooth in place, you can put the tooth in a cup of milk.

Never put the knocked-out tooth in water; the water can damage the tooth’s roots, making it impossible to reattach. If milk isn’t available, saliva is your next-best option. Don’t put your tooth in milk alternatives, like almond milk or another plant-based milk, as these milk products don’t have the same pH as dairy milk.

A knocked-out permanent tooth requires prompt emergency dental care. When you seek immediate care, it’s more likely that we’ll be able to successfully reattach your tooth. Try to seek emergency dental care within 30 minutes to optimize our chances of saving your tooth.