Q:
What should I do if my toddler, who is just learning how to walk, falls and knocks a tooth loose or out? Should I take the tooth and the child to the dentist or the emergency room? How should we handle the tooth to keep it clean?
A:
When your toddler falls, damage to their teeth can certainly occur. If a tooth is knocked loose or out, you should call your dentist. If your dentist is not available, the emergency room is a viable option. It has been my experience that many emergency room physicians are not educated in dental treatment, so I would try to get a dentist to evaluate your child.
When a baby tooth is knocked out, we usually will not replant it into its socket, as our primary concern is the health of the permanent tooth, which is already forming right by the root of the baby tooth.
Gregory F. George D.D.S.
