When your kid loses a baby tooth, it can be a little scary but it is not the end of the world. However, once their permanent teeth start coming in, losing them becomes a much bigger deal. These are the teeth that are supposed to last them the rest of their entire lives, after all.
Dealing With A Dental Emergency: Fractured or Knocked-Out Teeth
Saving a knocked-out tooth is very possible. However, there is a short interval of time where quick and decisive precision needs to be had if the tooth/teeth are to be saved. If your young one has sustained an injury involving broken or knocked-out teeth, here are important steps to take:
- Locate The Knocked Out Tooth. If the tooth is all the way knocked out, be sure to find the tooth and any pieces of the tooth (if it has chipped or broken).
- Be Sure To Hold The Tooth The Right Way. When handling the tooth, do not hold a tooth by its roots, hold it by the top part where your chewing happens.
- Lightly Clean The Tooth. If dirt or other debris has settled onto the tooth, try quickly placing it in a bowl or cup of stationary, lukewarm water for no more than 10 seconds. Running water can destroy the parts of the tooth needed to restore it in its original position.
- Attempt to Position The Tooth In Place. Place the tooth back in place and have your child bite down and apply pressure to the affected area with a gauze or damp paper towel. Tell them not to move their jaw much out of a closed position until a dentist is able to see it. If your child is too young to be able to follow these directions, opt for placing the tooth in their cheek pocket, cold milk or a small container of saliva if possible (no tap water). If you have the time or resources, there are also ADA-approved solutions that can be used to safeguard the tooth until you reach your dentist.
- Go to a Doctor or Dentist. See if your dentist performs emergency dentistry. Our office as well as others in our Central PA network work together to make sure we have a dentist on duty so our patients are able to receive emergency care if needed. You do not need to be a part of our patient base to receive care. If this is not applicable to you, you will need to go to a nearby emergency room to receive care for your child.
What Happens When A Permanent Tooth Is Unrecoverable?
If their tooth is unable to be reattached to your child’s mouth, you may need to choose a tooth replacement method. The longest-lasting and most practical solution is a dental implant procedure.
Prevention:
If your child competes in any sort of recreational sport, chances are a mouthguard should be used to help prevent mouth injuries. The same is true for activities such as riding bikes, skateboarding, and skating. Falls are an inevitable part of kids’ growth, setting safety measures such as these in place will make injuries much less likely.
