24/07/2017
First aid for avulsed teeth
If a tooth is avulsed (knocked out), make sure it is a permanent
tooth (primary teeth should not be replanted).
- Keep the patient calm.
- Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the white part).
Avoid touching the root.
- If the tooth is dirty, ideally clean it using the individual’s saliva,
otherwise, wash it briefly (10 seconds) under cold running
water and reposition it. Try to encourage the patient / parent to
replant the tooth.
- If this is not possible, place the tooth in a suitable storage
container in milk or the individuals saliva, e.g. a glass, jar, zip
lock bag of milk. The tooth can also be transported in the
mouth, keeping it between the molars and the inside of the
cheek.
If the patient is very young, he/she could swallow the tooth-
therefore it is advisable to get the patient to spit in a container
and place the tooth in it. Avoid storage in water!
- Seek emergency dental treatment immediately.
