What should I do if my child falls and hits a tooth?
Your child is bound to fall on his face once in a while as he plays and tests his physical prowess. Occasionally he may hit a tooth.
First you'll want to make sure that he has no other injuries (to his face or head, for example) that need emergency treatment. If he does, call 911.
If his gums are bleeding, apply pressure with a piece of wet gauze for few minutes (or until the bleeding stops). A frozen juice pop can limit the swelling and has the added benefit of taking your child's mind off the pain. Over the next week, watch for signs of infection, such as fever or swelling and tenderness, and call the doctor or dentist immediately if you see anything unusual with your child's gums or teeth.
Should I take my child to the dentist if he hits a tooth?
If your child's teeth and gums look just fine and he doesn't seem to be in any pain, he should be okay without a dental check. If a tooth seems out of place, though, you'll want to have a dentist look at it to evaluate whether it needs to be repositioned.
If a tooth is badly chipped, take your child to the dentist right away. Bring the piece of tooth along if you can find it. (You may also want to apply a cold compress to your child's mouth to prevent swelling.) Even if the chip is small and it doesn't seem to be bothering your child, you'll want to schedule an appointment with a dentist. She can evaluate whether there are underlying cracks or other damage you can't see. She can also repair the tooth by filing it or by patching it with bonding material.
What should I do if my child knocks out one of his teeth?
If he knocks out a baby tooth, don't worry — a permanent tooth will eventually grow in its place. Baby teeth are important because they help your child eat and speak and because they hold a spot in your child's mouth for his permanent teeth to come in properly. See the dentist to make sure that no underlying teeth were damaged and that the permanent tooth will have enough space to grow in properly.
If your child loses a permanent tooth, find the tooth if you can and rinse it gently in water. (Don't scrub it or you may remove important tissue fragments and roots.) If possible, insert it back in your child's tooth socket and hold it there. Then go to the dentist's office. (If it's after hours, call the dentist's emergency number to find out where to go for emergency dental treatment.) If you can't get the tooth back in your child's mouth, put it in milk and take it with you. Not sure if it's a baby tooth or a permanent tooth? Proceed as if it's a permanent tooth, just to be on the safe side.
Will the dentist be able to put the knocked-out tooth back in?
The quicker you get to the dentist (hopefully less than 30 minutes), the better the chances. The dentist will clean your child's mouth and try to put the tooth back in place. She may also put a splint on the tooth to keep it in position until the root takes hold. During this time, your child may need to be on a soft diet, at least initially, and he may need to take an antibiotic. The dentist will take another look at the tooth in a week or so to see if the splint can come off, and she'll continue to evaluate the tooth periodically. If the root doesn't take hold, sometimes a special kind of root canal can help.
How can I keep my child from hurting his teeth?
You can't completely prevent accidents, but you can help a lot by taking these precautions:
• Childproof your home.
• Make sure that your child wears a mouth guard when he plays contact sports.
• Teach your child to use caution when drinking from water fountains — it's easy to bump a tooth on the metal water jet.
• Teach your child to play safely onoutdoor equipment, giving other children plenty of room. Tell him not to stand behind swings, for example, and not to pass other children on climbing equipment or water slides (two-thirds of water-slide injuries result in oral trauma).
• Always make sure your child is buckled up properly in his booster seat or seat belt.
• If your child has front teeth that protrude, have them evaluated by your dentist or an orthodontist. Teeth that protrude are more vulnerable than those that don't.
• Teach your child not to run with hard objects (like a lollipop or a toothbrush) in his mouth.
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