Knocked-Out Tooth: What to Do Immediately in Nigeria
A knocked-out permanent tooth is a dental emergency. The best chance of saving it comes from acting immediately and reaching a dentist as quickly as possible—ideally within 60 minutes.
What to do now
- Pick up the tooth by the crown, the white part you normally see. Do not touch the root.
- 2. If dirty, rinse it gently for a few seconds in milk, saline, or clean water. Do not scrub it or use chemicals.
- 3. If it is an adult tooth and you can do so safely, place it back in the socket in the correct direction. Bite gently on clean gauze to hold it.
- 4. If you cannot reinsert it, keep it moist in cold milk or inside the cheek of a conscious adult. Do not store it dry or wrap it in tissue.
- 5. Go to an emergency dentist immediately.
Never reinsert a baby tooth. Doing so can damage the developing permanent tooth. Take the child and the tooth to a dentist urgently.
Control bleeding by biting gently on clean gauze. Apply a cold compress to the outside of the face for swelling. If there was a major fall, loss of consciousness, vomiting, severe headache, or suspected jaw injury, seek hospital emergency care.
Why speed matters
Cells on the tooth root begin to deteriorate when the tooth is dry. Reimplantation of a permanent tooth within about 60 minutes is strongly advised, but bring the tooth even if more time has passed because a dentist still needs to assess the injury.
What the dentist may do
The dentist will examine the socket, check for other injuries, take an X-ray when appropriate, reposition the tooth, and may splint it to nearby teeth. Follow-up care is essential because root canal treatment or further monitoring may be needed.
Reviewed by Dr Ola Adebayo, Dovers Dental Clinic.
Last reviewed: 19 July 2026.
Sources: NHS knocked-out tooth guidance; NHS England urgent dental care guidance.
This article provides general information and does not replace emergency assessment or individual medical advice.
