DrGreene Content
 My daughter was recently hit in the face and lost a permanent tooth. Is there anything we could have done to save the tooth?
 Sometimes when teeth have fallen out, they can be successfully replaced. However, there is a time frame that decides if this will be successful and part of it depends on how the tooth is taken care of. Once the tooth has dried out, it is unlikely to reattach. Dentists used to recommend that kids hold a knocked-out tooth in their mouths, but now they don’t due to a choking / swallowing risk. The important thing is to keep the tooth moist but avoid washing or rubbing it. A glass of milk or saline works well for this, as well as pedialyte or gatorade. Try not to touch the root of the tooth. See your dentist as soon as possible, preferably within an hour.
Alan Greene MD FAAP
Reviewed by: Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin MD & Liat Simkhay Snyder M.D.
Originally published: June 28, 2002
Last reviewed and updated: May 2008
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