Know How to Handle Your Child's Dental Injury

Posted on: 6 June 2017

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Unfortunately, accidents may happen to anyone at any time, but knowing what to do if a dental injury occurs is not only handy information, but it may often be critical. Toddlers and growing children are naturally more injury prone. In fact, a surprising percentage of children experience dental injuries while growing up. Here's how you can be prepared, should your child suffer this unfortunate  injury.

Firstly, if your child sustains a blow to the mouth, there may be no visible damage, but it is best not to simply assume that everything is quite satisfactory. It is best to play it safe and book an appointment with a dentist for a thorough check. There may be no bleeding, but the unseen structures in the gums and roots may have suffered damage.

Babies who have started crawling and toddlers who are beginning to walk are particularly likely to hurt themselves. Bumps and knocks are part of the growing process. If your little one's baby or primary teeth are injured, it is important to know how to prevent long-lasting damage from occurring

Dental first aid techniques recommend that you don't attempt to replace a baby tooth. It is important to seek an immediate appointment with your dentist for assessment. If you are not sure if the tooth is a baby or adult tooth, it can be stored in milk or saliva and taken along on your visit.

If a child has a permanent (adult) tooth knocked out, follow these steps.

  • Try to remain calm and act as quickly as you can
  • Find the tooth and handle it carefully.
  • Pick it up by the crown and avoid touching the root
  • Rinse the tooth carefully in milk—tap water can be used if necessary, but only hold the tooth under the tap for a second or so.
  • Do not scrub or remove any surrounding tissue
  • Replace the tooth carefully in the socket; do not use force. make sure it is the right way around by comparing it with surrounding teeth.

If it is too painful or you are not able to get the tooth into place, store it in a small container with a small amount of milk. It you have no access to milk, use saliva. It is vital that it be kept moist. Do not wrap it in tissue or cloth, as this will dry it out.

Seek dental assistance immediately. The sooner the tooth is back to the correct position, the better its chance of survival. Most practices make room for accommodating emergencies.

At the surgery, your dentist will assess what is needed to re-site and stabilize the tooth. Broken pieces of tooth may need to be sealed and torn gums stitched back into place, and then a long-term plan will be put into place.