If a crash knocks out your child's baby tooth
Guidance from a pediatric dentist
Seeing a tooth missing can make anyone panic. First, figure out if it was a baby tooth or a permanent tooth. Don’t put a knocked out baby tooth back in. Doing so may hurt the permanent tooth growing underneath. A permanent tooth that gets knocked out needs urgent dental care and different handling. If you’re not sure which kind it was, call a dentist right away. [1, 2]
Check your child first, then the tooth
Look for trouble breathing, a major injury to the face, bleeding that won’t stop or signs of a head injury. Get emergency medical care for any of these. Press gently on a bleeding socket with clean gauze. Don’t poke at it with a finger. If you can, find the tooth and bring it to the dentist so they can tell what kind it is. [1, 2]
Book a dental exam
Even when the baby tooth is clearly out, see a dentist. They should check the socket, nearby teeth, the lip and the permanent tooth that is still forming. A tooth that seems to be missing may have been pushed up into the gum. Tell the dentist when the crash happened. Mention if another tooth is loose or out of place. Ask about eating, keeping the mouth clean, pain relief and the schedule for return visits. [2]
Watch how it heals
Call the dentist if pain or swelling gets worse or a bump shows up on the gum. Call, too, if your child can’t chew as expected. Get urgent care for facial swelling that spreads, a fever or trouble swallowing. Keep later dental checkups. Damage to a permanent tooth that’s still forming may only show up over time. [1, 2]
Questions for your child's dentist
- Are we sure this was a baby tooth?
- Could any tooth have been pushed into the gum?
- When should the permanent tooth growing in be checked?
Bring the tooth, but leave it out
Take the tooth you found to the dental visit. Don’t try to put it back in. [1]
Sources and further reading
- 1American Academy of Pediatrics, knocked out teeth
- 2American Academy of Pediatrics, tooth injury guidance
Read this as general guidance from pediatric dentistry. A dentist needs to figure out which tooth was lost and look for other injuries. Never put a baby tooth back in its socket.
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