A lot of parents have a fear of their children having a tooth break or getting knocked out. If you know what to do before this happens it can be less stressful when it does. It can minimize permanent damage that may be a result too. Your child may also be less terrified because you aren’t running around like a crazy person! The most important thing to do is make sure you have your child’s dentist’s phone number handy or programmed into your phone.
Chipped, Cracked & Broken Front & Molar Teeth
Any injury to your child’s mouth should be checked by a dentist as there are things you are unable to see below the surface and a chipped tooth may also have a root that was fractured. This unfortunately can’t be seen with the naked eye, and can lead to an infection. If you chip, break or crack a tooth you should call the Dentist. Rinse the mouth with water, use a cold compress to bring down any swelling and bring the piece of tooth to the dentist if possible.
Baby Tooth VS Permanent Tooth
If a baby tooth is knocked out you should never try to put it back into where it came out of as there is a permanent tooth coming down and you may damage it. Contact your child’s dentist to make an appointment to have it looked at. If it’s a permanent tooth that is knocked out, then you need to see the dentist as quickly as possible. If a permanent tooth is replanted within five minutes after the injury, it has a good chance of survival. Permanent teeth can even still be re-implanted within one to two hours after being knocked out. After you find the tooth, pick it up by the crown or the widest part of the tooth and try not to touch the root. Gently rinse the tooth with cold water for 10 seconds and don’t use soap or scrub it. The best thing to do is to put it back in its socket and have your child bite down gently on a washcloth or clean gauze. If this isn’t working you should keep it clean and put it into a container with some cold milk, saline solution, water or saliva and get to the dentist immediately.
Chipped & Broken Tooth Repair
The enamel can be sealed to keep the bacteria out and there are times where the piece of tooth that broke off can be reattached at the dentist’s office. Chips and cracks can be repaired with bonding materials. If jagged or rough teeth are causing pain they can be filled or polished to smooth edges. Over several weeks after any dental trauma, the tooth may change color. This may be a sign that there was some trauma to the tooth that you didn’t even know about. It’s also a sign that the blood and nerve supply within the tooth has died. A dentist needs to take a look and determine what needs to be done.
Emergency Pediatric Dentistry
It’s impossible to prevent all slips and falls. Child-proof your home the best you can and have your children wear mouth guards when playing sports. Just because baby teeth aren’t permanent doesn’t mean they don’t require special care. Trauma to baby teeth can damage permanent teeth and delay their eruption. Contact Smile Reef for all you child’s emergency dental needs.