How should you care for a knocked-out tooth?

• A. Hold by crown, rinse gently, place in milk or saliva, seek dentist immediately; reimplant if possible within 60 minutes.
• B. Hold by root, rinse with water, store tooth in alcohol.
• C. Touch the tooth and shake vigorously to remove dirt.
• D. Tape the tooth into the socket immediately without handling.

Answer: (A)

When a tooth is knocked out, the goal is to keep the tooth and its surrounding tissue viable and get professional care quickly. Handle the tooth by the crown—the part you normally see—so you don’t touch the root and damage the delicate tissues attached to it. Gently rinse away any dirt without scrubbing, and avoid any brushing or scrubbing that could shred the root cells.

If possible, place the tooth back in its socket. If that can’t be done immediately, store it in a caring medium that keeps the root surface cells alive—milk is ideal, or the injured person can hold the tooth in their saliva. Avoid storing the tooth in water or alcohol, as these can harm the cells on the root surface. Seek dental care right away, because the chance of saving the tooth is highest when care is sought promptly. Reimplantation is best attempted within about an hour if feasible.

Other options fail because they involve handling the root, using inappropriate storage media, or attempting to force the tooth back in without proper care, all of which can cause additional damage and reduce the likelihood of saving the tooth.