Knocked Out Baby Tooth: If your child has knocked out a BABY tooth - do not replant it. It is important to locate the missing tooth (to rule out aspiration of the tooth into the lungs). Unfortunately, we will let this tooth go "early" to the tooth fairy as replanting the baby tooth can risk damage to the developing adult tooth.

Knocked Out Adult Tooth: If your child has knocked out an ADULT tooth, however, this is an emergency that requires your quick attention and management. Pick up the tooth by the crown (non-root end). Only rinse the tooth off if the tooth is dirty before immediately replacing the tooth into the socket. Have your child bite down on a towel to keep the tooth in place and call the dentist to place a splint and initiate initial therapy immediately.
If you cannot safely replant the adult tooth yourself then it is critical to store the tooth properly before the dentist replants the tooth. The tooth can be stored in milk, coconut water, or spit in a plastic bag for a short period of time. The tooth will not be salvageable if it is dry for more than 15 minutes - and even then the risks of replantation will need to be reviewed with you as the time from the injury to replanting the tooth will affect the long-term survival rate. Management is key in this situation and is a rare but true dental emergency.