Knocked-Out Tooth (HB)

Knocked-Out Tooth (HB)

This is a tooth that has been fully removed from the mouth and is intact. Honestly, this is pretty rare—normally a tooth knocked out via a trauma mechanism will be cracked or broken. A tooth that falls out as a result of a medical condition likely has an underlying disease in the gums.

According to the American Association of Endodontists,
“with quick action after a tooth has been knocked out, it’s possible your dentist will be able to reinsert and preserve your tooth.”

Red Flags

There are no red flags to speak of with a knocked-out tooth. You will want to monitor the open socket for infection, so the usual symptoms of fever and pain out of proportion apply.

Treatment

The commonly prescribed treatment is to pick up the tooth by the crown or the top, taking care not to touch the root (there are some fibers you do not want to disturb). Then you are supposed to carefully rinse it without scrubbing and attempt to reinsert the tooth in the socket. The reality is that this is very challenging to do, must be done within the first hour, and will be very painful assuming you can actually get the tooth reinserted.

The best bet is to place the tooth in a small container keeping it moist, like any amputation, and get to the dentist quickly.