For a child, losing their first tooth is a significant event that indicates they are beginning to transition from being a baby to an adult. However, no one wants the tooth fairy to come too early. If your kid accidentally broke or harmed a permanent tooth while playing, you should reach out to an emergency dentist in Kapolei for help.
Before that, there are some things you can do to protect the fallen out tooth and manage your child’s injury, preventing further damage. If you’ve just suffered a dental emergency and don’t know what to do, or you simply want to be ready in case of one, here’s a short guide on what to do when a child’s tooth falls out by accident.
Injuries to a Child’s Tooth
Children’s teeth can get broken, chipped, or completely separated from their sockets as a result of falls, play, or sports-related activities. A baby’s primary tooth or an adult’s permanent tooth may be damaged.
Because the crown (upper portion) of baby teeth is longer than the root (lower part), baby teeth are more easily knocked out than permanent teeth. You may think that there’s no harm in losing a baby tooth when the next one is on the way, but even if it’s their primary teeth that they damaged, it’s not a good thing.
For starters, teeth injuries are painful. Your child may experience sensitivity, pain, and even bleeding from the area, so reducing the discomfort is paramount. Furthermore, baby teeth serve as placement markers for permanent teeth, so losing one too soon could have a few negative effects later on.
The majority of kids’ baby teeth fall out on their own between the ages of six and twelve. On the other hand, your child might need medical attention if they lose a baby tooth or permanent tooth before their time.
With quick medical attention, your child’s dentist can try to save their tooth by reattaching it to the root.
Treatment for an Injured Tooth
Once you reach our dental offices, an emergency dentist will decipher what the best treatment is to recover your child’s oral health. Still, in the meantime, you can follow these guidelines to manage the situation:
- It’s important to stay calm and reassure your child that you can help. If you’re stressed or anxious, they’ll feel it and react the same way. So be careful to control that common fear that comes when you see your kid crying, and don’t let it dominate you.
- If the area is bleeding, apply a tiny piece of folded gauze to it and tell your child to bite it down or hold it in place with firm pressure.
- Offer them a cold compress to place on the outside of their cheek and reduce swelling and pain. Cover it with a tissue to avoid placing it directly on the skin, as it can be painful.
- Gather every fragment of the cracked or chipped tooth. The dentist may restore the teeth’s appearance and functionality by bonding them back into place. Additionally, make sure no pieces of tooth are embedded in the lips, tongue, or gums.
- Make immediate contact with your child’s dentist for additional care and follow-up. Sharp or jagged tooth edges may need to be smoothed to preserve the tooth, and additional care may be required. It might be necessary to extract a tooth that is severely damaged or loose and cannot be realigned.
Treatment for a Knocked-Out Tooth
Be it running, playing a game, or simply from slipping, your kid could completely knock out their tooth by accident. If that happens, you should heed the following advice to restore it:
- Stay composed and reassure them that you’re here to help.
- Apply a tiny piece of folded gauze to the area if it is bleeding, and ask your kid to bite down on it or hold it in place. Then, give them a cold compress to reduce swelling and pain.
- Pick up the lost tooth. Make sure to grasp it by its crown, without touching the root. Shut off the sink and give it a gentle milk rinse to prevent the tooth from falling down the drain. Avoid using tap water, as the chlorine in water could damage it. Milk is similar to the chemical makeup of teeth. Additionally, don’t scrub it while you’re cleaning.
- Reinstall the tooth in its socket in your child’s mouth, then press down until the missing tooth is level with the neighboring teeth. After that, to keep the gauze pad over the tooth in place, have your child bite down on it. Once the tooth has been knocked out, this has to be done ASAP.
- If they don’t cooperate, or if it’s a baby tooth that has been knocked out, the best thing to do is to keep it moist in a plastic bag with milk. Alternatively, you could ask your child to spit into a cup and then transfer their saliva inside.
- Place the bag in ice to keep it cool, and see the dentist right away. If the dentist is unreachable, head straight to the emergency department. Seeking medical attention within an hour of the incident is ideal.
X-rays of the affected area might be required if additional damage to the mouth or teeth is suspected.
For mild pain, you can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen as needed or as recommended by your child’s doctor.
Visit an Emergency Dentist in Kapolei
Kids may be happy when the Tooth Fairy comes. But if it’s permanent teeth or a baby’s teeth lost prematurely due to an accident, chances are high you won’t feel so cheerful. With quick action and the right knowledge, you can restore your kid’s oral health and prevent a troublesome tooth loss that will accompany them all their life.
The first step in achieving that, though, is to remain calm and seek professional medical attention. Here at Kidshine Pediatric Dentistry, our team of emergency dentists are well-trained to help you. So, reach out if you have any remaining doubts about what to do, and schedule a visit!