Community Health HESI Study Guide Related

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The school nurse is called to the playground for an episode of mouth trauma. The nurse finds that the front tooth of a 9-year-old child has been avulsed (knocked out). After recovering the tooth, the initial response should be to

  • A. Rinse the tooth in water before placing it in the socket
  • B. Place the tooth in a clean plastic bag for transport to the dentist
  • C. Hold the tooth by the roots until reaching the emergency room
  • D. Ask the child to replace the tooth even if the bleeding continues
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct immediate action after recovering an avulsed tooth is to rinse it with water and place it back in the socket. This helps preserve the tooth and increases the chances of successful re-implantation. Placing the tooth in a clean plastic bag for transport to the dentist (choice B) is not ideal as immediate re-implantation is preferred. Holding the tooth by the roots until reaching the emergency room (choice C) can further damage the tooth. Asking the child to replace the tooth even if bleeding continues (choice D) is incorrect and may lead to improper re-implantation.