Child tooth injuries have the potential to compromise your youngster’s oral health for years or even decades to come. Children are especially vulnerable to threats as their teeth are highly sensitive and still developing. Furthermore, children are unaware of the fact that anything from seemingly innocent participation in sports to a wayward elbow can cause some truly nasty injuries. Here is a quick look at the most common child tooth injuries and the best ways to treat them.
No two child tooth injuries are the same
Children are likely to chip their teeth simply because they are curious about their environment. Plenty of kids will use their teeth as tools to open soda bottles, bags of potato chips and other items. A chipped tooth must be treated differently than a broken tooth or a knocked-out tooth. Although children are highly vulnerable to all three of these tooth injuries, only the dentist can identify the proper course of treatment.
Kids face an especially high risk for knocked-out teeth as they tend to give their all during recess, sports and play sessions with friends. These little ones are unaware of the fact that roughhousing and participation in contact sports can cause dmage to their teeth and mouths. Furthermore, most kids detest the idea of wearing a mouth guard while participating in such activities. The failure to wear a mouth guard makes the teeth that much more vulnerable to contact from fellow children as well as sports equipment like baseballs, footballs, hockey pucks, bats and lacrosse sticks.
The first steps to take after the tooth damage occurs
If the child’s tooth is fully knocked out, try to find it. Pick up the tooth but avoid avoid contacting the tooth’s root. Rinse the tooth in milk or water. If possible, put the tooth back in the socket. However, if it is likely the child may move the tooth around or that it will not remain in the socket, put it in milk or water and bring it to the dentist’s office. However, if the tooth in question is a baby tooth, it should not be put back in position as doing so could damage the permanent tooth that has yet to emerge.
A look at how the dentist will address a child’s tooth injury
The dentist’s approach to a child’s tooth injury hinges on the nuances of the specific injury. Time is of the essence. Meet with the dentist as soon as possible. Dentists are particularly skilled at gauging the severity of child tooth injuries. Once the analysis of the damage is complete, the dentist will determine the appropriate course of treatment.
As an example, chipped teeth are one of the most common child-related tooth injuries. A dentist usually treats this type of injury by rounding and smoothing the chipped tooth’s sharp edges. For a partially or wholly dislocated tooth, the dentist will determine if the tooth will continue to live or if it is more likely to die. For a broken tooth, bring the fragment to the dentist. Even if the dentist cannot reconnect the broken piece to the rest of the tooth, he or she can still repair it to decrease the odds of infection.
Contact our dental office today
Give us a call to find out more about child tooth injuries and oral health care. Whether you are seeking treatment for your child, a dental exam, cleaning or restoration, we can help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Request an appointment in our Santa Clara dentist office here: https://yousmiledental.com.