If a permanent tooth is knocked out, pick it up by the white crown and get emergency dental care immediately. If you are sure it is a permanent tooth, the person can cooperate and the tooth can slip back easily, gently return it to the socket. If you cannot reinsert it, put it in a clean container of plain cold milk and take it to the dentist. Keep your fingers off the root. National Dental Centre Singapore tooth avulsion guide
Leave a knocked-out baby tooth out and contact a dentist for advice. If you cannot tell whether the tooth is permanent, keep it moist in plain cold milk and go for urgent dental assessment. Call 995 if the person has a life-threatening injury, such as loss of consciousness or severe uncontrolled bleeding. National Dental Centre Singapore tooth avulsion guide SCDF emergency medical services
- Hold the tooth by the crown.
- Keep a knocked-out permanent tooth moist and get dental help immediately.
- Leave a baby tooth out of its socket.
On this page
- How to handle a permanent tooth
- What changes for a child
- Where to seek emergency dental treatment
- Frequently asked questions
How to handle a permanent tooth
Pick it up by the crown. If it is dirty, NDCS advises a brief rinse under cold running water for no more than 10 seconds before replanting. Leave the root surface unscrubbed. If reinsertion is difficult or unsafe, place the tooth in plain cold milk and bring it with you. Water is for the brief rinse only. National Dental Centre Singapore tooth avulsion guide
If the tooth has already been put back, go to the dentist immediately anyway. The dentist can check its position, stabilise it and assess nearby teeth. Tell the clinic the time of injury and what was done at the scene. National Dental Centre Singapore tooth avulsion guide
What changes for a child
Children can have baby teeth and permanent teeth at the same time. If you are unsure which tooth has come out, leave it out until the dentist can assess it. Keep any loose tooth out of a young child’s mouth during transport. A dentist can examine the socket and check for injuries to nearby teeth or gums. National Dental Centre Singapore tooth avulsion guide
A school sports example
A student falls during a game. The teacher checks for signs of serious injury and arranges urgent dental care. A second adult picks up the tooth by its crown and places it in cold milk because they are unsure whether it is permanent. The parent gets the injury time and clinic destination.
Where to seek emergency dental treatment
Contact a dentist who can see you immediately. NDCS lists its Urgent Care Clinic at the SingHealth Outram campus during clinic hours and directs after-hours emergencies to SGH’s Department of Emergency Medicine. Check the current NDCS page for the entrance and operating hours. National Dental Centre Singapore emergency dental services
If there was a major fall or blow, tell the medical or dental team what happened and report any loss of consciousness or heavy bleeding. Call 995 when the injury is life-threatening. SCDF emergency medical services
Frequently asked questions
Should I scrub dirt off the root?
Handle the tooth by the crown and use only a brief rinse if needed. Scrubbing can damage the root surface. National Dental Centre Singapore tooth avulsion guide
Is it worth seeing a dentist if some time has passed?
Go immediately and bring the tooth if you have it. Tell the dentist when the injury happened and how the tooth was stored. National Dental Centre Singapore tooth avulsion guide
Sources
- SCDF emergency medical services
- National Dental Centre Singapore tooth avulsion guide
- National Dental Centre Singapore emergency dental services