What should I do if my child knocks out a tooth?
If your child knocks out a baby tooth, do not put it back, because that can damage the adult tooth developing underneath; control bleeding with a clean cloth and see a dentist. If it is an adult tooth, hold it by the crown, rinse it briefly in milk or saliva if dirty, and put it back or keep it in milk, then get dental care immediately. At Creative Arts in Dubai, head injuries go to hospital first.
Who treats you here Dr. Duaa Ameen General Dentist · Dr. Julia General Dentist
Every dentist’s licence can be checked on the DHA Sheryan medical directory.
Go to hospital first if there is a head injury
Teeth can wait; a head injury cannot. Take your child to a hospital emergency department straight away if they lost consciousness, even briefly, vomit, are drowsy, confused or unusually irritable, have a worsening headache, cannot remember what happened, or have bleeding from the ear or nose, a jaw that will not close normally, difficulty breathing or bleeding that will not stop with pressure. Bring any knocked-out adult tooth with you in milk.
Is it a baby tooth or an adult tooth?
Everything else follows from this. The upper front adult teeth usually come in between about six and eight years of age, so in a child under six a knocked-out front tooth is almost always a baby tooth. Between six and eight, it could be either. Some clues help:
- Size: adult front teeth are noticeably larger and longer than the baby teeth beside them.
- Edges: newly erupted adult incisors often have a slightly wavy, ridged biting edge.
- Timing: if the tooth that came out had been loose for weeks, it was probably a baby tooth.
If you are not sure, treat it as an adult tooth: keep it in milk and get to a dentist quickly. The dentist can tell immediately, and an adult tooth gives you little time to spare. Our baby teeth chart shows the usual ages.
Knocked-out tooth: baby tooth versus adult tooth
Guidelines from the International Association of Dental Traumatology, published through the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, treat the two very differently.
| Step | Baby tooth knocked out | Adult tooth knocked out |
|---|---|---|
| Put it back? | No. Never replant a baby tooth; it can damage the adult tooth underneath and could be inhaled | Yes, if you can, as soon as possible: hold it by the crown, not the root |
| If it is dirty | No need to clean it; keep it to show the dentist if you like | Rinse briefly in milk, saline or the child's saliva; do not scrub or use soap |
| If you cannot put it back | Not needed | Store it in milk or saliva; water is poor but better than letting it dry |
| Bleeding | Bite on a clean, folded cloth or gauze for 10 to 15 minutes | Bite on a clean cloth to hold the tooth in place |
| How fast to see a dentist | The same day, to check the socket, other teeth and the lips | Immediately: the root's cells are unlikely to survive after about an hour out of the mouth dry |
These are first-aid steps. What follows, such as splinting a replanted adult tooth, root treatment or monitoring, is decided after examination.
What if the tooth is chipped, loose or pushed in?
Many injuries do not knock the tooth out completely. Each one needs a dental check, but the urgency differs:
- Chipped tooth. Look for the broken piece and keep it in milk or water; on an adult tooth it can sometimes be bonded back. A small chip with no pain can usually be seen within a day or two. If you see a pink or red dot in the broken surface, the nerve is exposed: see a dentist the same day. Our page on chipped and broken teeth covers repairs.
- Loose tooth after a knock. Soft food and gentle cleaning; see a dentist the same or next day. A badly loose adult tooth may need a short splint.
- Tooth pushed up into the gum. In a baby tooth, it often comes back down on its own over weeks to months, but it must be checked because the root can press towards the adult tooth. In an adult tooth, it needs prompt treatment.
- Tooth pushed out of line. It may stop your child biting normally. See a dentist the same day; do not force it back yourself.
- Cut lip, tongue or gum. Press with a clean cloth. A deep cut, one that crosses the edge of the lip or one that keeps bleeding may need stitches; a hospital emergency department or urgent care can help.
Has your child injured a tooth? Call or message during opening hours, 10:00–20:00 daily, and our children's dentistry team in Dubai will advise how quickly to come in.
Children's dentistryWhat should you watch for in the weeks after a tooth injury?
Some problems show only later, which is why follow-up visits matter even when the tooth looked fine on the day.
| What you notice | What it may mean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The tooth turns grey, pink or yellow | Bleeding inside the tooth or a change in the nerve; in baby teeth the colour often fades over weeks or months | Book a review; it is often watched rather than treated straight away |
| A pimple or swelling on the gum | Infection at the root tip | See a dentist soon; urgently if the face swells |
| The tooth gets looser, not firmer | The supporting tissues are not healing | See a dentist soon |
| Pain when biting that does not settle | Damage to the root or ligament | Book a review |
| Years later: a mark on the adult tooth | An injury to a baby tooth can sometimes affect the adult tooth forming beneath it | Mention the old injury at check-ups |
Our page on discoloured baby teeth explains colour changes after a knock in more detail.
How do you care for your child's mouth after the injury?
For the first week or two, the aim is to keep the area clean and avoid knocking it again:
- Soft food for several days, cut into small pieces and chewed with the back teeth.
- Gentle cleaning. The AAPD guidance advises cleaning the area with a soft brush or a cotton swab after meals. Clean teeth heal better than teeth avoided.
- No dummy or bottle chewing on the injured tooth where you can manage it, and care with cups and spoons.
- Pain relief made for children, suitable for their age, as directed on the label or by your pharmacist. See child toothache for safe relief.
- Tetanus. If the injury involved soil or a dirty wound, ask your doctor whether your child's tetanus protection is up to date.
Then keep the follow-up appointments the dentist suggests. They check the colour and firmness of the tooth and, for baby teeth, the developing adult tooth below.
How can you protect children's teeth from injury?
Not every fall can be prevented, but a few habits reduce the damage. Children with protruding upper front teeth are more likely to injure them; an orthodontic assessment around age seven can tell you whether anything is worth doing. For contact sports, martial arts, hockey, cycling and skating, a well-fitting mouthguard and a helmet protect teeth and head. Car seats and seat belts, stair gates for toddlers and supervision around pools and hard floors do the rest.
For adults and teenagers with an injured adult tooth, our page on a knocked-out tooth explains replanting and follow-up in more depth, and the dental first-aid guide covers other emergencies.