HomeBone and DentalLosing an Adult Tooth: 3 Steps To Take

Losing an Adult Tooth: 3 Steps To Take

Losing an adult tooth is not only a major inconvenience but also a health emergency. Here are the steps you must take if you lose an adult tooth.

Losing an adult tooth is quite alarming but knowing exactly what to do in such a crisis can make a smile-worthy difference. Acting quickly and taking the right steps could save your natural teeth and avoid long-term complications. Here, we explore the steps to take if you lose an adult tooth so that you don’t also lose your best accessory—your smile.

The Importance of Acting Quickly

Adult teeth are permanent and losing one due to trauma or an accident is always a dental emergency. The critical timeline to save a knocked-out tooth is within one hour—this is known as the golden hour for reimplantation. Acting fast increases the chances of successfully saving your tooth and minimizes the risk of infection or complications.

What To Do Immediately After Losing an Adult Tooth

If your adult tooth has been knocked out, resist the urge to panic. The very first step is to locate the tooth. Once found, pick it up carefully and avoid the root. Handling the root can damage the delicate cells that are essential for successful reintegration into your jawbone. Hold the tooth by the crown, which is the visible top portion when it’s in your mouth.

Next, check your mouth for bleeding. Use clean gauze or a cloth to gently apply pressure to the socket to manage any bleeding. Avoid rinsing or scrubbing the socket directly, as this might remove blood clots, which aid in healing.

Steps To Safeguard and Preserve the Lost Tooth

Preserving your adult tooth correctly will determine whether your dentist can reimplant it. If the tooth has dirt or debris on it, gently rinse it with saline solution or clean water. Avoid using soaps, disinfectants, or scrubbing tools, as these can harm the root structure.

The best place to store a knocked-out tooth is in its original socket. If you feel comfortable, try carefully reinserting the tooth into the socket and gently bite down on gauze to hold it in place. However, if this isn’t possible or you’re uncomfortable, place the tooth in a container of milk to keep it moist and maintain the cells’ viability. If milk is unavailable, saline solution or even saliva can work as a temporary solution. Do not use plain water or dry tissues, as these can cause further damage to the root.

Seek Professional Dental Help

It’s critical to reach a dentist as soon as possible. Call your dentist immediately for an emergency appointment and explain the situation in detail. If you’re unsure where to go, search for an emergency dental clinic in your area or visit the nearest hospital that offers dental services.

When you see a dental professional, provide them with the preserved tooth and share details of how the incident occurred. The dentist will evaluate whether they can reimplant the adult tooth and will clean the area to minimize infection risk.

Early intervention dramatically improves the success rate of reimplantation procedures. The shock of losing an adult tooth emphasizes the importance of preparedness. Knowing what to do in case of a dental crisis can save you from losing your natural smile and prevent unnecessary complications. Seek a dentist or provider right away if you lose an adult tooth.


This article was written for WHN by Casey Cartwright who is a passionate copyeditor highly motivated to provide compelling SEO content in the digital marketing space. Her expertise includes a vast range of industries from highly technical, consumer, and lifestyle-based, with an emphasis on attention to detail and readability.

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