Quick answer
Call a dentist promptly for significant tooth pain, a broken tooth, facial swelling or a mouth injury. A knocked-out permanent tooth is time-sensitive: handle it by the crown, try to place it back if safe, or keep it moist in milk and seek immediate care. Do not reinsert a baby tooth.
Key takeaways
- A knocked-out permanent tooth needs immediate care
- Do not place aspirin directly on a tooth or gum
- Breathing trouble or rapidly spreading swelling is a medical emergency
First decide whether it is a medical emergency
Call 911 or go to an emergency department for trouble breathing, inability to swallow saliva, rapidly spreading face or neck swelling, severe uncontrolled bleeding, loss of consciousness or a possible jaw fracture. A dentist should evaluate the dental injury, but airway, major bleeding and head injuries come first.
Knocked-out permanent tooth
- Find the tooth and hold only the white crown—not the root.
- If it is dirty, gently rinse it briefly without scrubbing or removing attached tissue.
- If the child is alert and cooperative, try to return it to the socket in the correct direction. Never force it.
- If reinsertion is not safe, place the tooth in milk or another dentist-recommended tooth-preservation liquid and leave immediately for care.
- Do not try to reinsert a knocked-out baby tooth; call the dentist for instructions.
Broken tooth or mouth injury
Rinse gently with warm water. Use a cold compress outside the face to reduce swelling. Save any tooth fragments in a clean container and bring them with you. Soft-tissue cuts can bleed heavily; apply gentle pressure with clean gauze.
Toothache or swelling
Rinse the mouth and gently floss if food may be trapped. Do not place aspirin on the tooth or gum because it can injure the tissue. Pain medicine should only be given in a child-appropriate dose based on the label or advice from the child’s medical or dental clinician.
A toothache with facial swelling, fever, worsening pain, unusual sleepiness or difficulty opening the mouth needs urgent evaluation. Antibiotics alone do not repair the tooth causing an infection.
What to tell the dental office
Share the child’s age and weight, what happened, when it happened, the location of pain or injury, whether the tooth is baby or permanent if known, and whether there is swelling, fever, bleeding, vomiting or a head injury. A photo can sometimes help the team triage the concern, but it cannot replace an examination.
Sources
This article is educational and does not replace an examination or emergency medical advice.