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Watch Now: What to Do If Your Child Knocks One of Their Teeth Out

As a dental professional, no Christmas vacation is complete without an emergency call-out to re-implant a child’s adult tooth following a faceplant off the new bike.

If this happens to your child, then firstly make sure your child is medically ok, as it takes a serious whack to the face to knock one of your teeth out! If your child lost consciousness, even for just a second, don’t waste time looking for a tooth. When you find it grab it, but concussion and brain trauma trumps a lost tooth.

When the child is ok, and you have located the tooth, then best store it in a liquid to prevent the root from drying out. Saline (used for cleaning cuts and scrapes) is best. Failing that, use milk. If neither is at hand, then ask the child to carefully hold the tooth inside their mouth – in their cheek.

Immediately call your local dentist (ideally) or go straight to the emergency department if you knock one of your teeth out. Do not try to re-implant the tooth yourself!