Summer recreation brings a predictable rise in dental trauma — bike falls, pool diving mishaps, and pickup games all send more kids to the dentist’s chair between June and August. Knowing what to do in the first half hour can be the difference between saving a tooth and losing it.
Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth: The First 30 Minutes
- Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (the chewing surface), never the root
- Rinse gently with water if dirty — no scrubbing, no soap
- Try to reinsert it into the socket if possible, and have the child bite down gently on gauze to hold it in place
- If reinsertion isn’t possible, keep the tooth moist — in milk, saline, or the child’s own saliva. Never store it dry.
- Get to a dentist within 30 minutes — the odds of successfully saving the tooth drop sharply after that window
Note: this urgency applies to permanent teeth only. A knocked-out baby tooth generally should not be reinserted — call your dentist for guidance.
Chipped Tooth at the Lake
- Rinse the mouth with clean water
- Save any broken tooth fragment if you can find it, keeping it moist
- Apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth to reduce swelling
- Cover any sharp edges with dental wax or sugar-free gum to prevent cuts until you can be seen
- Call your dentist the same day — even minor-looking chips can indicate a crack that extends further than visible
Build a Tooth Preservation Kit
A simple kit costs little and takes up almost no space in a beach bag or first aid kit:
- A small container with a tight-fitting lid
- Milk or a tooth-preservation solution (available at most pharmacies)
- Gauze
- Your dentist’s after-hours contact number
The Bottom Line
Dental trauma is scary, but the right first steps — and quick action — make a real difference in outcomes. Keep your dentist’s emergency line saved in your phone before summer activities ramp up, not after something happens.
