Ways to Handle Tooth Injury & Must-have Precautions in Teenagers

Our little precious ones keep falling and hurting themselves and it is absolutely heartbreaking to see those teary eyes. No matter what you cannot see your child suffer and more often than not you feel quite helpless. Most dental injuries in pre-schooler or toddlers occur from falls while in the case of older kids they are usually sports-related.

Tooth Injuries in Children & Its Types

Milk teeth are the first sets of teeth which an individual has by the time he/she turns 3 years of age. You, as a new mother, will be curious that when does the child start losing milky teeth? Read here.

#1. Injuries to the Child's Milk or Deciduous Teeth

In most situations a little part of the tooth is chipped, this can be filed easily. A larger chip that does not involve pulp can be filled using tooth-colored /composite resin. While in cases where one has lost the entire baby/milk tooth it is not normally replaced, in such situations if the patient is too young space maintainers can be given to the child. If there is bleeding one should put cold water on a piece of gauze and apply pressure to the site of injury and make the child suck an ice pop to keep swelling in check. [Know - Age When A Child Start Losing Milk Teeth]

#2. In Cases of Injury to the Child's Permanent Teeth 

Again in case of a small chip, filing of the roughened edge is done while if the chip is slightly larger a composite filling is required. In case of severe injury wherein, the permanent tooth is completely knocked out one can take the following steps to ensure minimum damage till the patient can reach the dentist.

What Precautions If Child Losing Permanent Teeth?

Keep in mind that loosing a permanent tooth is a dental emergency and that a permanent tooth has the best survival chance if replanted within 30 min. Read here.

1. Hold the tooth by the crown (the part above gum line visible to us)not the root.
2. Rinse the tooth immediately with saline solution or milk, note please do not scrub the tooth. Tap water is the last resort as it contains chlorine, which may damage the root.
3. The best action is to re-insert the tooth back into the socket or keep inside the mouth between the cheek and the lower gum. If this is not possible then put the tooth in milk till you reach a dentist.
4. In replanted cases, root canal treatment needs to be done within one week of the trauma.  In cases where the root apex is not closed dentist may continue treatment called apexification.
5. The safe side arranges for tetanus vaccination if the wound was dirty or if vaccination requires updating.

So, Parents God forbid if you ever face such a situation please try not to panic, and rush the child to the dentist while keeping the above steps in mind. The child will need your tender loving care; your reactions and body language would only scare him further. All the best!