Knocked-Out Tooth Mid-Game: The First Hour
At stations, students use a stick of chalk as a "tooth" to practice what to do when a permanent tooth is knocked out whole during sport. It covers an emergency that rarely gets taught, where acting well in the first minutes can save the tooth.
How to play
- Briefing: find the tooth, hold it by the crown (the white part), never by the root; if dirty, rinse it for just a few seconds in cold water without scrubbing; if possible, put it back in and bite on a tissue; if not, store it in milk or saline, or in saliva if there's nothing else; get to a dentist as soon as possible, ideally within an hour (4 min).
- Station 1, correct grip: in pairs, wearing gloves, pick the chalk up off the floor without touching the end marked as the root (3 min).
- Station 2, where do I keep it?: choose between a cup of milk, a cup of water, a dry napkin or a pocket, and justify the choice (3 min).
- Station 3, the call: one student contacts the family and the dentist or clinic with key facts (time of the hit, what's been done) while another stays with the injured player (3 min).
- Prevention recap: mouthguards in contact and stick sports (2 min).
Rules
- Gloves are worn whenever handling the "tooth".
- Nobody puts anything in their mouth: reinserting the tooth is only explained.
- The milk is poured out at the end, not drunk.
- Speak to the injured player calmly: tone is practiced too.
Variations
Easier
Only stations 1 and 2.
Standard
Three stations plus the prevention recap.
Harder
A complicated case: the player also has a nosebleed or is dizzy, and the group must prioritize.
Adaptations
- Visually impaired students: the "root" end of the chalk is wrapped in textured tape so it can be felt.
- Limited fine motor control: use large tongs, or explain the grip to a partner.
- Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: each station has a poster with picture steps.
Learning goals
- Know how to handle and store a knocked-out tooth.
- Pass the key facts to the family or health services.
- See the value of mouthguards in high-risk sports.
Equipment for a class of 25
- chalk sticks: 15
- cups: 12
- milk carton: 1
- tissues: 15
- disposable gloves: 30
Teacher tip
This protocol is for permanent teeth, which is what high schoolers have; baby teeth in young children are not put back in. The typical mistake is scrubbing the tooth clean or wrapping it in dry paper.
PatioLab has "Knocked-Out Tooth Mid-Game: The First Hour" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More main activities for High School
"Switch!": Talking Defense Against Screens in 3v3
“Throw Like a Girl”: Your Other Arm Explains It
In pairs, each student throws with their dominant arm and their other arm while their partner checks technique.