It's a knockout: survey of the management of avulsed teeth.

Avulsion of a tooth is a not uncommon childhood injury, with up to 16% of dental injuries involving the loss of a tooth. Although this is an apparently 'minor' injury, for a child there may be long-term psychological and treatment problems. Correct advice in the early stages of this injury, and the recognition that prompt treatment may allow a tooth to be successfully reimplanted are vital in the management of these injuries. Often, nursing staff in the accident and emergency or paediatric department may be asked for advice either professionally or informally, and can influence the long-term dental health for these patients. This paper looks at the knowledge of parents and healthcare professionals in the management of these injuries.