Chipped, Broken or Knocked-Out Tooth? What to Do After a Dental Injury

A tumble in the park, an elbow on the rugby pitch, a tooth that met a cherry stone. Dental injuries rarely happen at a convenient time, and when they do, most people aren’t sure what to do next. Do you keep the broken piece? Is this an emergency? Can the tooth be saved?

At Langdale Dental & Aesthetics, our independent practice in Headingley, Leeds, we see dental trauma in patients of every age, from toddlers learning to walk to weekend footballers. This guide covers the first steps for a chipped, broken, loose or knocked-out tooth, how injuries in children are different, and what treatment may follow.

In our Headingley surgery, the injuries I see most are chipped front teeth from contact sport and, in younger children, falls at home or in the playground.

Is a dental injury an emergency?

Use this as a rough guide, and if in doubt, phone us.

What has happened?	How urgent	What to do
Adult (permanent) tooth knocked out	Emergency: act within minutes	Replant or store in milk and call a dentist immediately
Tooth pushed out of position or very loose	Urgent: same day	Don’t bite on it, call us
Large break, bleeding from the centre of the tooth, or severe pain	Urgent: same day	Keep the fragment, call us
Small chip with no pain	Soon: within a few days	Book an examination
Tooth looks fine but took a hard knock	Soon	Book a check; damage can be hidden
Baby tooth knocked out	Same-day advice	Do not put it back; call us

Go to A&E or call 999 first if there has been a head injury with drowsiness, vomiting, confusion or loss of consciousness, a possible broken jaw, bleeding that won’t stop, or any difficulty breathing. Teeth can wait; these can’t.

What to do if you chip or break a tooth

1. Find the broken piece if you can. Keep it in a small clean pot of milk or saliva and bring it with you. Sometimes a fragment can be bonded back on.
2. Rinse your mouth gently with warm water. If the lip or gum is bleeding, press on it with clean gauze or a cloth.
3. Protect the area. Avoid chewing on that side and steer clear of very hot or cold drinks if the tooth is sensitive. Sugar-free chewing gum or orthodontic wax can cover a sharp edge for a day or two.
4. Take simple painkillers if needed, following the packet instructions. A cold compress on the outside of the face helps with swelling.
5. Book a dental examination. We’ll check for cracks you can’t see, exposed dentine or nerve, and any injury to the root or bone, usually with an X-ray.

A cracked tooth that hurts when you bite or release, or that’s sensitive to cold, needs prompt attention even if you can’t see the crack.

What to do if an adult tooth is knocked out

A knocked-out (avulsed) permanent tooth is the most time-critical dental emergency there is. The cells on the root surface start to die once the tooth dries out. The best chance of saving it is to get it back in the socket within the first 15 minutes or so, and certainly within the hour.

1. Hold it by the crown, the white part you normally see. Don’t touch the root.
2. If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly (about 10 seconds) under cold running water, or in milk or saline. Don’t scrub it, dry it, wrap it in tissue or use any disinfectant.
3. Push it gently back into the socket, the right way round, matching it to the tooth next to it. Then bite softly on a clean cloth or handkerchief to hold it in place.
4. If you can’t put it back, keep it wet. Milk is best. Otherwise use saline, or the patient’s own saliva in a clean cup. An adult or older teenager can hold it inside their cheek, but don’t do this with younger children as they may swallow it. Plain tap water is not suitable for storage.
5. Phone us straight away on 0113 278 6811 and come in. Bring the tooth even if you aren’t sure it can be saved.

If the tooth touched soil or the injury happened outdoors, you may also need to check your tetanus vaccination is up to date with your GP or pharmacist.

Loose, pushed-in or out-of-position teeth

A tooth that has been knocked crooked, pushed up into the gum, or feels wobbly needs to be seen the same day. Don’t try to force it into place yourself. Depending on the injury, we may gently reposition it and fit a thin, flexible splint bonded to the neighbouring teeth for a couple of weeks while it settles.

Dental trauma in children

Children’s teeth get knocked a lot. Toddlers fall while learning to walk; older children come off bikes, scooters and trampolines, or collide on the sports field. Many injuries to adult front teeth happen between the ages of 8 and 12.

Injuries in children need slightly different handling, because there may be an adult tooth developing just above the root of the baby tooth.

If a baby tooth is knocked out, never put it back. Replanting a baby tooth can damage the adult tooth forming underneath. Keep the tooth, stop any bleeding with clean gauze, and phone us for advice the same day so we can check nothing else is injured.

Not sure if it’s a baby tooth or an adult tooth? Adult front teeth usually come through between about 6 and 8 years old, so for many primary-school children it’s hard to tell. If your child is roughly 7 or older and the lost front tooth was large and fully grown in, treat it as an adult tooth and phone us immediately. If you really aren’t sure, keep it in milk and call us.

Watch for changes over the following weeks. A knocked baby tooth sometimes turns grey or darker. This doesn’t always mean it has died, but it needs checking. Swelling, a gumboil (small spot on the gum) or pain are signs to come back in.

Reassure your child. A calm adult makes a big difference. We see frightened children regularly and take things at their pace.

See our paediatric dental specialist in Leeds

We’re lucky to have Dr Laura Reynolds, a specialist in paediatric dentistry, working with us at Langdale Dental & Aesthetics. Dr Reynolds holds a postgraduate qualification in paediatric dentistry and sees children with dental injuries, anxious young patients and those with additional needs.

Children’s injuries can affect how adult teeth develop, so follow-up matters as much as the first visit. Dr Reynolds will plan regular reviews, often with X-rays, to check the tooth is healing and the adult teeth are coming through normally. And if a child’s teeth need straightening later on, our in-house orthodontic care means they can stay with the same familiar team.

To book your child in with Dr Reynolds call us on 0113 278 6811.

How we treat dental injuries at Langdale Dental

We start by examining the injury, taking X-rays where needed and explaining what we find. Depending on the damage, options include:

• Composite bonding or a tooth-coloured filling to rebuild a chipped or broken front tooth, often in a single visit.
• Reattaching the broken fragment, if you’ve kept it safe and it fits well.
• A dental crown to protect a tooth that has lost a lot of its structure.
• Root canal treatment if the nerve has been damaged or becomes infected.
• A splint to stabilise a loose or repositioned tooth while it heals.
• Bridges or dental implants if a tooth can’t be saved.

Every injury is different, and not every option suits every tooth. We’ll talk you through the choices and the costs before starting anything. You can see our prices on the fees page.

Will a damaged tooth heal on its own?

Sometimes the pain settles, but that doesn’t mean the tooth is fine. The nerve inside a tooth can die slowly, weeks or even months after a knock. Contact us if the tooth darkens, becomes painful or sensitive, the gum swells, or it feels different when you bite. After significant trauma we usually book follow-up checks over the first year.

Preventing dental injuries: wear a mouthguard

Headingley is a sporting part of Leeds, and contact sports cause a large share of the injuries we see. A custom-fitted mouthguard, made from a scan or mould of your teeth, fits far better than a boil-and-bite guard and is more comfortable to wear for a whole match. We make them for adults and children for rugby, hockey, boxing, martial arts and more.

Dental trauma FAQs

1. Can a chipped front tooth be fixed?

Usually, yes. Small to medium chips can often be repaired with composite bonding in one appointment, with little or no drilling. Larger breaks may need a crown.

2. Do I need to see a dentist if my broken tooth doesn’t hurt?

Yes. A painless chip can still hide a crack or exposed dentine, and the nerve can be affected without causing pain at first.

3. Should I go to A&E for a knocked-out tooth?

Most A&E departments can’t replant teeth, so phone a dentist first. Go to A&E if there’s also a head injury, a suspected broken jaw or bleeding you can’t control.

4. What should I do if my child knocks out a baby tooth?

Don’t put it back. Stop the bleeding with gentle pressure and call us the same day so we can check the area and the adult tooth underneath.

5. My child’s front tooth has gone grey after a fall. Is that serious?

Not always, but it should be checked. Some greyed baby teeth recover; others need treatment or monitoring.

6. How much does it cost to fix a broken tooth?

It depends on the damage. A small bonding repair costs much less than a crown or root canal. We’ll give you a written estimate after your examination; see our fees page for current prices.

7. Can I get an emergency dental appointment in Leeds at Langdale Dental?

Yes. We keep time aside for emergencies and will do our best to see you the same day, subject to availability. Phone us as early in the day as possible. New private patients are welcome.

8. Need help with a dental injury in Leeds?

If you or your child has a chipped, broken, loose or knocked-out tooth, call Langdale Dental & Aesthetics on 0113 278 6811 and tell us what’s happened. You’ll find us at 1 Langdale Avenue, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3HA. We’re open Monday to Friday, with later appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

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If you need urgent dental help when we’re closed, call NHS 111. For a serious head or facial injury, uncontrolled bleeding or difficulty breathing, call 999 or go to A&E. This article is general information and doesn’t replace an individual assessment.