Call a dentist promptly if your child chips, breaks, loosens, or knocks out a tooth. Rinse the mouth gently, apply clean gauze with light pressure if bleeding is present, and use a cold compress on the outside of the face to reduce swelling. Save any tooth fragments and bring them to the appointment.
Treatment depends partly on whether the injured tooth is a baby tooth or a permanent tooth. Do not attempt to reinsert a knocked-out baby tooth, as doing so could harm the developing permanent tooth. A knocked-out permanent tooth requires immediate attention and should be handled only by its crown, not its root.
Seek emergency medical care for serious facial trauma, loss of consciousness, uncontrollable bleeding, or breathing difficulty.