DOCTOR ON CALL: Dr Muiris Houston.

DURING A RECENT school hockey match, one of our opponents received a blow to her face and lost a tooth. Their coach immediately put the tooth in a cup of milk. Why was that?

THE QUICK-THINKING coach was attempting to ensure that the girl could save the tooth. By replacing the tooth into its cavity the right way up and not back to front, you contribute to a very good chance it will re-establish a blood supply and remain viable.

The reason for the milk is that if you use a disinfectant solution it will kill the tooth. Another important point is to hold the tooth by the crown and not by its root when you find it; touching the root will decrease the chance of the tooth bedding in successfully.

If you cannot get the tooth back in place, keep it in milk, where it will live for up to four hours. And if there is no milk available on the pitch, the best place to keep the tooth is in your mouth while you wait to be taken to the nearest dentist.

According to the Irish Dental Association (IDA) up to one-third of adult dental injuries are sports -related. Although more men than women suffer oral injuries, women hockey players are one of the most likely groups to present with a sports-related oral injury.

And it is not just contact sports such as rugby, Gaelic football and hockey that pose a risk. Sports with less physical contact such as soccer, basketball and volleyball can also result in oral injury. The direct cause of most oral injuries is head-to-head contact, falls and the impact of elbows, arms and sports equipment.

Apart from the obvious effect on appearance, oral injuries can have long-term effects on speech and even self-confidence.

The best way to prevent oral injury is to wear a gumshield, which has been shown to reduce the severity of damage to lips, teeth, cheeks and tongue.

When oral injury does occur, even if it appears to be a minor chip in a tooth, it is probably best to visit your dentist for a full examination. Treating a slight chip will safeguard the future survival of the tooth.

And it's worth visiting your dentist to have a custom-made gumshield fitted. A custom-fitted design is more likely to stay in place during a collision and thereby offers a better chance of avoiding oral and facial injury.