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Aesthetic Edge Dental 559Dentist.com · Fresno, CA
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Time-critical

A Tooth Has Been Knocked Out

This is one of the few dental situations where the first ten minutes genuinely change the outcome. Handle the tooth correctly and call immediately.

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Right now
Pick the tooth up by the crown — never the root. If it is dirty, rinse briefly with milk or saline (not tap water, and do not scrub). If you can, place it back in the socket and hold it gently in place. If you cannot, keep it in milk or the person’s own saliva. Do not let it dry out. Call us now.
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What matters most

Handle by the crown only
The root surface carries cells that a replanted tooth depends on.
Keep it wet
Milk is the best common option. Water is a poor storage medium.
Do not scrub
Rinsing briefly is enough.
Baby teeth are different
A knocked-out baby tooth is generally not replanted — but it still needs assessment.
Time is the variable
Sooner is better. Call while you are on the way.

What we can explain here — and what needs an exam

A page can inform you. It cannot examine you.

We can explain online
How to store and transport a tooth
Why baby teeth are handled differently
Why the root surface must not be scrubbed
What a splint is
Determined after an exam
Whether the tooth can be replanted
Whether the socket or nearby teeth are injured
Whether a splint is needed and for how long
Whether the nerve will need treatment later

What to do next

Call from the car if someone else can drive. Replanting is time-sensitive and we hold same-day availability for injuries like this.

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General information reviewed by Mankirat Gill, DDS · August 2026. Not a substitute for an in-person examination. Severe pain, spreading facial swelling, or trouble breathing or swallowing: call us or seek emergency care now.