Knocked-out baby tooth: do not put it back

Primary teeth are baby teeth, and permanent teeth are adult teeth. Children can have a mix of both, so age alone is not always enough to be certain.

• Baby teeth are gradually replaced by permanent teeth from around school age.
• If you are unsure, treat uncertainty as urgent and ask a dentist or NHS 111 for advice immediately.
• If a dental professional advises that the tooth may be permanent, follow their urgent advice rather than guessing.

1. 1Keep the child calm and check for breathing difficulty, choking, serious injury or head injury symptoms first.
2. 2If there is bleeding, use gentle pressure with clean gauze or a clean cloth.
3. 3Find the tooth if you can do so safely, but do not delay urgent assessment if it cannot be found.
4. 4Do not put the tooth back into the socket.
5. 5Contact a dentist promptly. If you cannot access dental help and need urgent advice, use NHS 111.

A developing permanent tooth sits underneath a baby tooth. Putting a knocked-out baby tooth back can damage that developing tooth or disturb healing.

The fact that it was a baby tooth does not mean no assessment is needed. A dentist may still need to check the socket, gum, soft tissues and nearby teeth.

• Use gentle pressure with clean gauze or a clean cloth if bleeding is present.
• Avoid poking the socket or forcing brushing into the injured area.
• Keep the mouth clean cautiously and follow dental advice after assessment.
• Use medicine only if suitable for the child and follow the product instructions or pharmacist advice.

Arrange prompt dental advice after a baby tooth is knocked out. Urgent dental care is especially important if there are other injuries, uncertainty about the tooth type, a missing tooth that cannot be located, ongoing bleeding, swelling or pain.

If you cannot access your own dentist and need urgent help, use NHS 111 or 111 online. NHS 111 can advise the next step but does not guarantee an appointment.

• Coughing, choking, breathing difficulty, or concern the tooth was inhaled.
• Heavy mouth bleeding that will not stop with pressure.
• Serious face or jaw injury.
• Head or facial injury with loss of consciousness, vomiting or double vision.
• The child is unusually drowsy, confused or difficult to wake.

A dentist may check whether the whole tooth came out, whether any part is missing, and whether the tooth may have been pushed into the gum or inhaled.

They may examine the socket, gums, lips, soft tissues, neighbouring teeth, bite and jaw. They may also consider the developing permanent tooth and arrange follow-up if needed.

• Do not put a baby tooth back into the socket.
• Do not assume no assessment is needed because it was a baby tooth.
• Do not delay help if the tooth cannot be found.
• Do not ignore coughing, choking, breathing difficulty or head injury symptoms.
• Do not place aspirin or any other medicine directly on the gum.