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Original poster

4 year old knocked out front tooth

30 replies

jomaIone · 09/12/2025 14:43

I'm so upset. He slipped on a wet floor and knocked his tooth out on the sink. His other front tooth is chipped. Does anyone have any experience with this? I am absolutely devastated, can't stop crying even though I know he'll be ok really I'm just in shock. We have the dentist this afternoon. He's in shock too, won't let us clean the blood off his mouth, won't have a drink or anything. It's stopped bleeding now. What the hell do I do?! Tooth is lost, probably swallowed...

OP posts:
Anewgame · 09/12/2025 14:44

Dentist!!!!!

just wait and don’t stress out until then

Anewgame · 09/12/2025 14:44

My son did this
they put in a crown
he can’t eat an apple without it being cut for example
but aside from that - all perfect

Anewgame · 09/12/2025 14:45

What you do before then is wrap him up, plonk him on your lap and watch his favourite tv.

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Flibbertyfloo · 09/12/2025 14:47

What a horrid shock. It's really upsetting, but presumably it's a a baby tooth at that age? So in time he will have a new one. He'll start losing his baby teeth soon and you'll get verg used to seeing gaps, so you won't even notice.

CombatBarbie · 09/12/2025 14:47

Dd had a tooth knocked out at 3..... it just started the natural cycle of teeth falling out. She had the majority of her adult teeth by 7. Had her braces on at 11 and off at 12 before any of her peers.

Original poster
jomaIone · 09/12/2025 14:48

Anewgame · 09/12/2025 14:45

What you do before then is wrap him up, plonk him on your lap and watch his favourite tv.

This is what we have done. It happened at 10am at nursery. He's had Calpol, and a nap! My poor baby

OP posts:
Ohpleeeease · 09/12/2025 14:49

Aren’t these baby teeth? I knocked mine out, the adult teeth grew through unharmed.

FWIW, if a tooth is knocked out, put it immediately in milk and get to a dentist. They can be replanted if you act fast enough.

Justploddingonandon · 09/12/2025 14:49

My DS did this to his top front teeth, though he was a bit older at 6 (fortunately he was a late developer and still had his baby teeth). The teeth were still just about attached, but dentist took them out after a week as they were at a weird angle and couldn't be straightened or cleaned properly. It took about 2 years for his adult teeth to come through, and they hurt a bit as going through scar tissue, but not having them in that time didn't seem to cause any issues. I came to love his gappy smile.

QuornToBeWild · 09/12/2025 14:55

I’m presuming it’s a milk tooth? My child, ironically the careful one, not the wild one who was always having accidents, knocked her front tooth out when she was 4. Horrible at the time but all was well and her adult tooth came through fine.

The dentist will reassure you. It’s such a shock, but everything will be ok. 💐

Also, our dentist said it is really common!

littleorangefox · 09/12/2025 15:09

My little girl did this last year. She hadn't long turned 2 and I was absolutely devastated. I don't care if people judge me for that. She looked awful and tbh I still struggle with it and have to try and not think about how she would look in photos etc if she still had the tooth.

I rushed her, and the tooth, to the dentist but they said there was nothing they would do because it's a baby tooth. They won't even attempt to put it back in and there aren't any other options except wait for the adult teeth to grow in. Being told it would likely be at least another 4 or 5 years before it would grow in was really disheartening.

However, it doesn't seem to bother her so I guess that's all that really matters.

littleorangefox · 09/12/2025 15:11

CombatBarbie · 09/12/2025 14:47

Dd had a tooth knocked out at 3..... it just started the natural cycle of teeth falling out. She had the majority of her adult teeth by 7. Had her braces on at 11 and off at 12 before any of her peers.

Could I ask how long it was before the adult tooth started growing in after she knocked it out? My little girl did this a year ago and I was told not to expect to see the adult tooth for at least 4 or 5 years ☹️

givemushypeasachance · 09/12/2025 15:18

Teeth are troublesome things - if it helps, my friend lost both her adult front teeth running into a wall playing laser tag when she was a teenager. She had implants put in and is fine and you'd never know anything was different.

Original poster
jomaIone · 09/12/2025 15:19

Yes it is a milk tooth luckily, just so traumatic for everyone!

OP posts:
CombatBarbie · 09/12/2025 15:40

littleorangefox · 09/12/2025 15:11

Could I ask how long it was before the adult tooth started growing in after she knocked it out? My little girl did this a year ago and I was told not to expect to see the adult tooth for at least 4 or 5 years ☹️

Show quote history

Has her other teeth started the natural cycle of falling out Dentist said same to me but also said if the natural cycle kicks in its much quicker. Which DDs was. Was weird when she started school and already had all the adult front teeth compared to everyone else.

littleorangefox · 09/12/2025 15:55

CombatBarbie · 09/12/2025 15:40

Has her other teeth started the natural cycle of falling out Dentist said same to me but also said if the natural cycle kicks in its much quicker. Which DDs was. Was weird when she started school and already had all the adult front teeth compared to everyone else.

Show quote history

No she's only 3 and her other teeth are still seemingly firm in there! Her older sister recently started losing them at 6 years old and her brother (twins) hasn't lost any yet. I don't know it's that's relevant 😂

Chiefangel · 09/12/2025 15:58

Your poor boy will be in shock and that’s normal. This happened a long time ago to my daughter, it was a milk tooth so no roots but dentist did say it would be a waiting game to see if adult tooth yet to come through would be damaged. She just had a gap for years until the adult one grew through. Quite cute really and they come through nice and straight. Siblings needed braces for theirs!

Rubyupbeat · 09/12/2025 16:06

Please let me give you some reassurance. My son was 3 when he knocked his front tooth out. I was like you, totally devastated, rushed him to the dentist first thing.
He is 40 now, has the most perfect straight teeth, never wore braces either.
So please don't worry, at 4 there won't be any impact on his 2nd tooth.

littleorangefox · 09/12/2025 16:07

jomaIone · 09/12/2025 15:19

Yes it is a milk tooth luckily, just so traumatic for everyone!

It is! I was very pregnant when mine knocked hers out and I kept crying about it and blaming myself. I also became very nervous about her climbing or running etc for a while. You do sort of almost get over it. It just takes time ❤️

Friend1010 · 09/12/2025 21:59

This happened to my son knocked his top 2 front teeth so far back he had to get them removed. Was very traumatic. He's just turned 6 and nothing has come through and still has all his other baby teeth.

He's not bothered in the slightest and brags about having lost teeth before some of his friends 🤪

I was devastated at first but he looks super cute and I've grown used to it now!

DappledThings · 09/12/2025 22:13

DD knocked out one of her front teeth at 3. It wasn't an issue by the next day. No pain or anything. She had a gap for 4 years.

We rang an emergency dentist but they said there was no need to be seen so we didn't until her next regular check-up.

spookaroo · 09/12/2025 22:17

Anewgame · 09/12/2025 14:45

What you do before then is wrap him up, plonk him on your lap and watch his favourite tv.

This!

I rode my bike into a post when I was about 6 and knocked out both front teeth. I was kind of amazed rather than upset, my dad said oh well, you’ll grow new ones.

The worst and most memorable thing for me was my mums lengthy and hysterical reaction, she cried for days and was very vocally worried about how I’d ruined my smile and it was such as shame as I was so pretty 🫠 Awful.

Sesma · 09/12/2025 22:28

DS tripped at nursery at 4 and his top tooth went through his bottom lip and then went grey. He had it removed and his new adult tooth grew through perfectly normally.

Sesma · 09/12/2025 22:31

DS's mouth swelled a lot as well and he looked like he had been in a boxing ring

Original poster
jomaIone · 10/12/2025 06:09

spookaroo · 09/12/2025 22:17

This!

I rode my bike into a post when I was about 6 and knocked out both front teeth. I was kind of amazed rather than upset, my dad said oh well, you’ll grow new ones.

The worst and most memorable thing for me was my mums lengthy and hysterical reaction, she cried for days and was very vocally worried about how I’d ruined my smile and it was such as shame as I was so pretty 🫠 Awful.

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Yes I am being very careful not to be hysterical in front of him! He's scared enough as it is!

Dentist went well, nothing drastic to do and they were very reassuring. Finally managed to convince him to have some water but had to bribe him with a present and syringe it in with a Calpol syringe!! Not sure how we will get him to eat.

Thank you to everyone for being reassuring. A horrible traumatic day but think we have all calmed down considerably now!!

OP posts:
thelittlestbird · 10/12/2025 07:05

DD knocked both her front teeth at 3 and both needed removing. The removal process was pretty awful for her so we had monthly visits to the dentists after that where they just chatted to her / gave her stickers. Was helpful to get her comfortable with going there again. Took about six months. Now we’re back to normal check up routine.