Dental injuries - Knocked out, chipped or cracked teeth

If an adult (permanent, or secondary) tooth is knocked out, there is a good chance it will survive if it is put back into position straight away, and you seek professional help immediately. Every minute a tooth is out of the gum, the less chance it has of surviving.

Never try to put a baby (deciduous or primary) tooth back in the gum if it is knocked out. This can damage the developing permanent tooth underneath the gum.

How can you tell if it’s a baby tooth or an adult tooth? It can be tricky but baby teeth are smaller, smoother and usually whiter than adult teeth. Children’s adult teeth are often more yellow, larger, and can have bumps called mamelons on their biting edge.

Knocked-out adult (permanent) teeth

If an adult tooth is knocked out:

• Stay calm
• Handle the tooth by the crown (smooth white part), not the root (yellowish pointy part).
• If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it in milk or saline for a few seconds. Do not rinse the tooth with water.
• Holding the clean tooth by the crown, gently put it back into the hole in the gum (socket). Make sure the pointy yellowish root(s) is the part that goes into the socket. Only do this if the person is conscious.
• Get the person to hold the tooth in place by gently biting on something soft, like a handkerchief.
• Assist the person to see an oral health professional immediately.

If you can’t replace the tooth yourself:

• Try not to let the tooth dry out - place it in milk or ask the person to spit into a clean container and place the tooth in their saliva. You could also seal the tooth in plastic wrap.
• Do not use water to rinse or store the knocked-out tooth.
• Seek immediate advice from an oral health professional.

Knocked-out baby teeth

Do not try to put a knocked-out baby tooth back in the gum. See an oral health professional immediately to make sure there is no other damage to the other teeth or mouth.

Trying to replace a baby tooth might damage the permanent tooth sitting underneath in the gum. The baby tooth could fuse to the bone, causing problems when it’s time for it to fall out naturally, and might affect the growth of the adult tooth, bone and gums.

Dental Health Services Victoria provides emergency dental care. If outside of clinic opening hours, seek assistance from an out of hours medical service.

Chipped or cracked teeth

Teeth which have been chipped or cracked may or may not be painful. Either way, you should see an oral health professional as soon as possible because early repair can improve the survival of a damaged tooth.

If part of the tooth is broken off and is intact, store it in milk or the saliva of the person with the broken tooth or seal it in plastic wrap, and see an oral health professional as soon as possible.

Preventing dental injuries

Always wear a mouthguard when you train for and play sports where your teeth could get damaged, such as football, rugby, soccer, basketball, netball, water polo or hockey.

A dental professional can make you a professionally fitted mouthguard to give your teeth the best protection.

For more information see Mouthguards

Where to get help

• Your dentist or oral health professional
• Dental Health Services Victoria’s emergency dental care page Tel: 1300 360 054
• Australian Dental Association Tel. (03) 8825 4600