Has your tooth been knocked out? If you can get to a dentist within an hour, there is a good chance the tooth can be saved. Follow these steps and visit your dentist as soon as possible:

• Handle the tooth by the crown only. Do not handle the tooth by its roots, only the crown. Touching the roots of the tooth can cause irreversible damage and may prevent the tooth from being saved.
• Do not clean the tooth. Even if the tooth falls on the ground and/or becomes soiled, you should not attempt to clean the tooth as this may damage the roots.
• Try to reinsert the tooth. In some instances, it may be possible to reinsert the tooth back into its socket. Grasping the tooth by its crown, try to place it back in the socket. If you do manage to successfully reinsert the tooth, you should still visit your dentist as soon as possible so they may check its condition and that it is has been repositioned correctly. If you cannot reinsert it with light pressure, read the next steps to prepare the tooth for transportation to your dentist’s office.
• Prepare the tooth for transport. If you are unsuccessful in placing the tooth back in the socket, you should prepare it for travel to the dentist’s office. To keep the tooth alive, it needs to be kept moist and at a pH similar to human saliva. Your options include: tucking the tooth in the pocket of your cheek, wrapping the tooth in a spit-moistened paper towel, or placing the tooth in a glass of milk. If it’s a child’s tooth, you may wish to choose the glass of milk or paper towel method to avoid the choking risk.
• Visit your dentist as soon as possible. Outside its socket, a tooth can only survive up to an hour. Therefore, it is very important to see your dentist as soon as possible. Call ahead to make sure the dentist can keep a chair open in anticipation of your arrival.