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I've broken a tooth: what to do now

Dentaláser Clinical Team · Clinical Director: Dr Alberto Cerezo · Published on 2 September 2026 · Reading time: 5 min
Patient at a Dentaláser consultation after a dental emergency

Act in the first few minutes, don't wait until the next day. If the tooth has chipped, rinse with warm water, keep the fragment in milk if you find it, and apply cold to the cheek. If it has come out whole and is a permanent tooth, hold it by the crown, try to put it back in place or keep it in milk, and come to the clinic as soon as possible: the time it spends out of the mouth is the factor that most affects whether it can be saved.

If the tooth has chipped or broken (fracture)

A knock, biting something hard, or a cavity that has weakened the tooth can cause a piece to break off, ranging from a small chip to a fracture that leaves the tooth sensitive or with the pulp exposed. Here is what to do:

  1. Rinse your mouth with warm water to remove debris and get a clear view of the area.
  2. If you find the fragment, keep it in a little milk or saline solution; in some cases it can be reattached.
  3. Apply cold to the cheek, on the outside, never ice directly on the tooth or gum.
  4. If the edge is left sharp, cover it with dental wax or sugar-free chewing gum so you don't cut your tongue or lip.
  5. Call the clinic and explain what has happened: the sooner it is assessed, the easier it usually is to rebuild the tooth.

If the tooth has come out whole (avulsion)

A strong impact can knock the whole tooth out of its socket, root included. Here the key difference is whether it is a baby tooth or a permanent tooth:

Permanent tooth

  1. Always hold it by the crown (the part you see when chewing), never by the root.
  2. If it's dirty, rinse it only with water or saline, without rubbing or using soap.
  3. Try to carefully put it back in its place and bite down on a piece of gauze to hold it in position.
  4. If you can't put it back, keep it in a glass of milk or in your own saliva (never in tap water).
  5. Go to the clinic immediately. The outlook depends largely on how long the tooth is out of the mouth.

Baby tooth

A baby tooth that comes out from a knock is not reimplanted, unlike a permanent one. Even so, you should go for a check-up to make sure no fragments remain in the gum and that the impact has not damaged the permanent tooth forming underneath.

What NOT to do

  • Do not touch the root of a knocked-out tooth or try to clean it by rubbing.
  • Do not keep the tooth in tap water or let it dry out outside the mouth.
  • Do not apply ice directly to the tooth or gum.
  • Do not put aspirin or any painkiller directly on the area: it does not relieve pain and can burn the gum.
  • Do not wait until the next day if there is bleeding, intense pain or a loose tooth.
🚨
When it's a real emergency
  • Tooth broken, loosened or knocked out
  • Intense pain that does not ease with your usual painkiller
  • Bleeding that does not stop after several minutes of pressure
  • Visible swelling in the face or gum

A small chip with no pain and no sharp edges can wait until your next appointment. Any of the symptoms above cannot.

Frequently asked questions

What our patients
also ask.

Rinse your mouth with warm water, keep any fragment of the tooth in a little milk or saline solution if you find it, and apply cold to the cheek (never directly on the tooth) to reduce swelling. If the edge is left sharp, you can cover it with dental wax or sugar-free chewing gum to avoid cutting your tongue or lip. Call the clinic as soon as possible.
If it's a permanent tooth, yes, it can be reimplanted if you act quickly: hold it by the crown (never by the root), rinse it only with water or saline without rubbing, try to put it back in its place and, if that's not possible, keep it in a glass of milk or saliva and go to the clinic immediately. The outlook depends largely on the time spent out of the mouth.
A baby tooth knocked out by an impact is not reimplanted, unlike a permanent one. Even so, you should go for a check-up to make sure no fragments remain in the gum and that the impact hasn't damaged the permanent tooth forming underneath.
If it's just a small chip, with no pain, no bleeding and no sharp edges, it can wait for an appointment during normal hours. If there is pain, intense sensitivity, bleeding, a loose tooth or a large fragment, it's best not to wait: it's a real dental emergency.

Sources

  1. NHS: Chipped, broken or cracked tooth.
  2. Mayo Clinic: Tooth loss: First aid.

Disclaimer

  1. This article is for information purposes only and does not replace assessment by a healthcare professional. Always consult your dentist.
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