Dental injuries can happen during sport, falls, playground accidents, road collisions, workplace incidents or simply from biting something unexpectedly hard.
A tooth may become chipped, cracked, loose, displaced or completely knocked out. There may also be bleeding from the mouth, damage to the lips or gums, and injuries to the jaw or head.
Some dental injuries can wait for a routine dental appointment, while others are time-sensitive emergencies. In particular, acting quickly after an adult permanent tooth has been knocked out can improve the chance that a dentist will be able to save it.
This guide explains what to do after a dental injury, how to handle a knocked-out tooth, the important difference between adult and baby teeth, when to contact an emergency dentist and when a facial injury requires A&E or 999.
Dental trauma can affect the tooth itself, the supporting tissues around it, or other parts of the mouth and face.
Common dental injuries include:
You do not need to identify the exact type of dental injury before seeking help. The priority is to control any bleeding, protect the injured area and arrange the appropriate dental or medical assessment.
First check whether the injury is limited to the mouth or whether the person may have suffered a more serious head, facial or jaw injury.
For a straightforward dental injury:
If there are cuts inside the mouth as well as dental damage, see our First Aid for Cuts Inside the Mouth guide.
| Dental injury | What to do | How urgent is it? |
|---|---|---|
| Small chip or crack | Save any broken piece and arrange a dental appointment. | Usually not a medical emergency, but the tooth should be assessed by a dentist. |
| Badly broken tooth | Save any fragments and contact a dentist or NHS 111. | Urgent dental assessment may be required. |
| Loose or displaced permanent tooth | Do not repeatedly move or test it. Seek urgent dental advice. | Prompt dental assessment is important. |
| Knocked-out permanent tooth | Handle it by the crown, try to replace it if appropriate, or keep it in milk or saliva and obtain emergency dental care. | Dental emergency. Treatment is time-sensitive. |
| Knocked-out baby tooth | Do not put it back into the socket. | Contact a dentist for advice and assessment. |
| Serious facial or jaw injury | Seek emergency medical assistance. | A&E or 999 may be required depending on severity. |
A completely knocked-out adult permanent tooth is a dental emergency. The sooner the tooth is correctly replaced or reaches a dentist, the better the chance that it may be saved.
According to NHS guidance:
Do not force the tooth into the socket if it will not go back easily.
The root of a permanent tooth has delicate cells on its surface that are important if the tooth is to be successfully reimplanted.
Handling, rubbing, scraping or scrubbing the root can damage these tissues.
Always pick the tooth up by the crown — the white chewing part of the tooth — and handle it as little as possible.
If a permanent tooth is visibly dirty, rinse it gently rather than scrubbing it.
NHS guidance recommends using:
Do not scrub the root, scrape away tissue or use disinfectant, bleach or cleaning chemicals.
The aim is simply to remove obvious contamination while avoiding damage to the root surface.
If it is an adult permanent tooth, NHS guidance advises trying to place it back into the socket if this can be done easily.
Hold the tooth by the crown, position it the correct way around and gently place it back into the gap. If it goes back into position easily, the person can bite gently on a clean cloth to help keep it stable while travelling to the dentist.
Do not force it into place.
Never reinsert a baby tooth.
If a knocked-out permanent tooth cannot be reinserted, it is important to stop it from drying out.
NHS guidance recommends storing the tooth in:
If using saliva, the person can spit into a clean container and the tooth can be placed in it.
Take the tooth with you and obtain emergency dental care as quickly as possible.
As quickly as possible.
NHS guidance says that a knocked-out adult permanent tooth should ideally receive treatment within approximately 30 minutes to one hour where possible.
Do not delay while trying repeatedly to clean or reposition the tooth. If you cannot replace it easily, place it in milk or saliva and travel to an emergency dentist.
If you cannot contact your dentist or obtain an emergency appointment, contact NHS 111 for advice.
Our When to Call 999 vs 111 vs GP guide explains how the different urgent and emergency NHS services are used.
Do not put a knocked-out baby tooth back into its socket.
Reinserting a primary tooth could damage the developing permanent tooth underneath it.
Instead:
If the injury involved a significant impact to the head or face, also consider whether the child may have suffered another injury.
Children begin losing their baby teeth and developing permanent teeth at different times, so it may not always be obvious which type of tooth has been knocked out.
If you are unsure, do not force the tooth back into the socket. Store it safely and obtain urgent dental advice.
Tell the dentist the child's age, which tooth was affected and how the injury happened.
A chipped, cracked or broken tooth should be assessed by a dentist, even if the injury initially appears minor.
If a piece of the tooth has broken off:
According to the NHS, a dentist may sometimes be able to reattach the broken piece.
Treatment for a broken tooth can vary and may include bonding the fragment back on, a filling, a crown or root canal treatment depending on how badly the tooth has been damaged.
Dental pain after an injury can indicate that deeper parts of the tooth have been affected.
Seek dental advice promptly if:
A pharmacist can advise on suitable over-the-counter pain relief while you wait for dental treatment.
Children under 16 should not be given aspirin.
A permanent tooth can become loose after a blow without being completely knocked out.
Do not repeatedly wiggle the tooth or ask the injured person to test it.
Instead:
A dentist may need to assess damage to the tooth root and supporting tissues.
A strong impact can move a tooth without knocking it out completely. It may be pushed sideways, partly out of the socket or further into the gum.
Do not attempt to straighten or reposition a displaced tooth yourself.
Seek urgent dental treatment. The dentist can assess the position of the tooth, the root and the surrounding bone and decide whether repositioning or splinting is required.
Bleeding from the gum, lip or other soft tissue can often be controlled using gentle, continuous pressure.
Use:
Ask the casualty to sit down and lean slightly forward so blood can drain from the mouth rather than being swallowed.
If bleeding is heavy and will not stop, seek emergency medical help.
For general bleeding guidance, see our First Aid for Cuts, Bleeding & Minor Wounds guide.
Most isolated dental injuries should be treated by a dentist rather than a GP or hospital emergency department.
However, NHS guidance advises going to A&E or calling 999 for serious injuries such as:
Do not focus only on the damaged tooth if the person has suffered a significant blow to the face or head.
A tooth may be broken or knocked out during the same impact that causes a head injury.
After a fall, sports collision or other significant impact, watch for symptoms such as:
The presence of a dental injury should not distract from potentially more serious head trauma.
For further information, see our First Aid for Minor Head Injuries guide.
If part or all of a tooth is missing after an accident, check the surrounding area if it is safe to do so.
If the casualty is coughing, choking or having difficulty breathing and there is a possibility that the fragment has entered the airway, treat the situation as a choking emergency.
Do not blindly put your fingers into someone's mouth or throat trying to retrieve an object you cannot clearly see and easily reach.
For choking emergencies, see our First Aid for Choking in Adults, Children & Babies guide.
Contact sports and activities involving moving equipment can result in dental injuries.
Examples include:
A well-fitting mouthguard can reduce the risk of some dental injuries during appropriate sporting activities.
Sports clubs should also have suitable first aid arrangements and know how to obtain emergency dental assistance if necessary.
See our Sports First Aid guide for broader information about first aid provision during sport.
Falls, playground accidents and sports can result in dental injuries in children.
Schools and childcare providers should make sure staff understand the critical difference between permanent and baby teeth.
If a tooth is knocked out:
NHS guidance recommends milk or saliva if a permanent tooth cannot be put back into its socket.
These options are preferable because the important root surface should be protected while the tooth is transported to the dentist.
Avoid leaving the tooth dry for prolonged periods and do not wrap the root tightly in tissue.
No. Do not use alcohol, household disinfectant, bleach, antibacterial spray or other cleaning chemicals on a knocked-out tooth.
If it is dirty, rinse it gently using milk, saline or saliva as recommended by the NHS.
Do not scrub the root.
A standard first aid kit is not a substitute for emergency dental treatment, but several ordinary first aid items can be useful following a mouth or dental injury.
Useful supplies can include:
The most important factor with a knocked-out permanent tooth is not specialist equipment but correct handling and rapid access to emergency dental care.
You can view our range of first aid kits for home, workplace, school, sport and travel environments.
Some actions can reduce the chance of saving an injured tooth or cause additional damage.
Avoid:
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Chipped or broken tooth | Save any fragment in milk or saliva and arrange dental assessment. |
| Knocked-out adult tooth | Hold by the crown, rinse gently if dirty and try to reinsert it if it goes back easily. |
| Cannot reinsert permanent tooth | Keep it in milk or saliva and obtain emergency dental care immediately. |
| Knocked-out baby tooth | Do not reinsert it. Control bleeding and contact a dentist. |
| Loose or displaced tooth | Avoid unnecessary movement and obtain urgent dental assessment. |
| Mouth bleeding | Apply gentle continuous pressure with clean gauze or a clean non-fluffy cloth. |
| Serious face, jaw or head injury | Seek emergency medical help. A&E or 999 may be appropriate depending on the injury. |
The NHS provides specific advice for knocked-out, chipped, cracked and broken teeth, including how to store a tooth and how to access emergency dental care.
You can read the NHS guidance on knocked-out teeth and the NHS guidance on chipped, broken or cracked teeth.
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