SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/safety-knocked-out-tooth-crown

When handling a knocked-out permanent tooth, which part should you touch?

Touch only the crown, not the roots.

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  1. The crown ✔
  2. The roots
  3. Every surface

Why: Cells on the root surface help a permanent tooth reattach. Handle the tooth by its visible top and get emergency dental care quickly.

Huh, didn't know that: A knocked-out baby tooth is not replanted.

The dad joke
What time do you go to the dentist? Tooth-hurty.
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References

Answer: The crown. Cells on the root surface help a permanent tooth reattach. Handle the tooth by its visible top and get emergency dental care quickly.

  1. Tooth Loss First Aid, Mayo Clinic www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-tooth-loss/basics/art-20056635
    Handle your tooth by the top, also called the crown, only
    Checked 2026-10-11.
  2. Knocked-Out Teeth, American Association of Endodontists www.aae.org/patients/dental-symptoms/knocked-out-teeth
    Pick up the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface) NOT the root.
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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