Dental trauma: what to do in the first hour

Falls, sports and accidents are the usual causes of dental trauma. The first hour matters most.

A knocked-out permanent tooth

• Hold it by the crown, never the root.
• Rinse briefly with milk or saline; do not scrub.
• If possible, place it back in the socket and bite gently on gauze. Otherwise keep it in milk.
• Come to the clinic immediately; the best chance of saving the tooth is within 30–60 minutes.

A broken or loosened tooth

Collect any fragments, avoid biting on the tooth and call us. Baby teeth are usually not re-implanted, but a check-up is still needed to protect the permanent tooth underneath.