Is it really okay to put the tooth back in yourself if it pops out? The idea freaks me out a little, but the dentist said time is everything. Part of me worries I’d do more harm than good trying to shove it back in…
I totally get that panic—when my grandson knocked his front tooth loose at soccer, my heart was pounding. I remember thinking, “Wait, am I supposed to just stick it back in?” It felt so wrong, but the dentist on the phone said if it’s a permanent tooth and you can do it gently, it’s actually better than waiting. I was nervous, so I just had him hold it in his cheek with milk until we got there. Dentist said that was fine too—better than letting it dry out.
Honestly, I think most of us freeze up in the moment. You’re not alone feeling weird about it. I’d probably try to put it back if I had to now, but only if I was sure it was a permanent tooth and not a baby one (apparently you’re not supposed to replant baby teeth). It’s wild what you learn as you go... I never would’ve thought milk could save a tooth either.
I’d probably try to put it back if I had to now, but only if I was sure it was a permanent tooth and not a baby one (apparently you’re not supposed to replant baby teeth).
This part surprised me—why exactly shouldn’t you replant a baby tooth? I get that adult teeth are more important to save, but is there risk of damaging the adult tooth underneath if you try with a baby one? I’ve heard so many mixed things and honestly, in the panic of the moment, I’m not sure I’d even be able to tell the difference right away. Has anyone actually tried putting a tooth back themselves? How did you figure out what to do on the spot?
is there risk of damaging the adult tooth underneath if you try with a baby one?
That’s exactly what my dentist told me when my kid lost a tooth at daycare. Apparently if you shove a baby tooth back in, you can mess up the permanent one that’s still growing under the gum—it can get infected or come in crooked. I totally get the panic though. When it happened to us, I honestly didn’t even think to check if it was a baby tooth or not, I just freaked out and called the dentist right away.
I haven’t tried putting one back myself, but the advice I got was to keep the tooth (if it’s a permanent one) in milk or saliva, and get to the dentist ASAP. Way easier said than done when you’re dealing with a crying kid and blood everywhere. I wish there was a foolproof way to tell baby from adult teeth on the spot, but unless you know your kid’s teeth really well, it’s tough. Anyone else ever actually managed to put a tooth back in and have it stay?
I get where you're coming from, but I’ve actually heard from a pediatric dentist that even if you did manage to put a baby tooth back in, it probably wouldn’t reattach properly anyway. The roots are already dissolving by the time they fall out, so it’s not like with a permanent tooth. I know it’s tempting to try, but honestly, it’s usually safer to just leave it out and focus on stopping the bleeding. The permanent tooth will come in when it’s ready, even if it looks a little weird for a while.
That’s what my nephew’s dentist said too when he knocked out his front baby tooth at the park. My sister panicked and tried to put it back in, but the dentist gently explained it wouldn’t really “stick” since baby teeth are meant to fall out anyway. The roots are basically gone by then, so unlike those dramatic permanent tooth stories where you have to save it in milk and rush to the dentist, with baby teeth it’s more about keeping things clean and calming everyone down.
Honestly, the weird gap phase was kind of cute in photos. He looked like a little jack-o’-lantern for a few months until the grown-up tooth finally peeked through. If anything, it gave us a funny family story and he wasn’t bothered by it at all. Main thing was just making sure he didn’t mess with the area too much and keeping up with regular brushing.
I totally get wanting to “fix” it right away, but sometimes you just have to let nature do its thing—even if it means a slightly goofy smile for a bit.