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Ouch! The Tooth Just Came In & Now It’s Knocked Out
By Bramble Heidt

Children are active, and chances are they are going to hurt themselves one way or the other. But what do you do and where do you go when it’s a dental emergency? Contact sports increase the likelihood of dental emergencies, but in reality they can happen at any time. Instead of hindering your child’s activities, learn how to prevent and treat dental emergencies.

“Two groups of children most at risk of a mouth injury are toddlers learning to walk and athletes playing contact sports,” according to Dr. Mary J. Hayes, a pediatric dentist. 

In all dental emergencies the first step is to contact your pediatric dentist promptly. If the accident happens after hours, your dentist should provide and emergency number. 

People lose two types of teeth: baby teeth and adult teeth. A baby tooth is not replantable, so don’t waste time looking for the lost tooth. Immediately contact your pediatric dentist, even though the tooth cannot be replanted, since a risk of infection still exists. In the meantime, rinse your child’s mouth with cold water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling and discomfort. Depending on age and appropriateness, a baby tooth may be replaced with a false tooth to make the smile normal. 

“I see a lot of two and three year olds with trauma to the front teeth,” says Dr. Maxim Suller, a pediatric dentist, from Somerset, N.J.  

It’s important to remind older children to take safety precautions when playing sports. Even though they are learning to take care of themselves, teenagers tend to feel invincible and are less likely to take precautions when playing unsupervised sports. 

“Every week I get a call from the emergency room to fix a tooth broken in sports, especially from softball and basketball,” says Dr. Steven Adair. “Mouthguards are affordable compared to the cost of treating a mouth injury. You’ll buy your child a new pair of basketball shoes this fall, so why not a new mouthguard?”

Accidents can always happen but most dental emergencies can be avoided by taking the proper precautions. Children under the age of 3 amass a significant number of mouth injuries. While children are learning to walk and unsteady on their feet, special care should be taken to provide a safe environment in the home. 

“What should parents do? Child-proof their homes, insist on mouthguards for budding athletes, and keep handy the phone number of their pediatric dentist,” says Dr. Hayes.

The faster your child gets to the dentist in an emergency the better their chances are of warding off infection and preventing serious dental problems in the future. “What should parents do… keep handy the phone number of their pediatric dentist,” says Dr. Hayes.    

A PERMANENT TOOTH IS KNOCKED OUT

1. Find the tooth. Rinse it gently in cool water. (Do not scrub it or use soap.)

2. Replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or a wash cloth. (If you can not put the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container of milk or water.)

3. Take your child and the tooth to a pediatric dental office immediately. (Call the emergency number if it is after hours.)

A TOOTH IS CHIPPED OR BROKEN

1. Contact a pediatric dentist immediately. Fast action can save the tooth, prevent infection, and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment.

2. Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling.

3. If you can find the broken tooth fragment, take it with you to the dentist.

EMERGENCIES CAN BE PREVENTED

1. Encourage children to wear comfortable, professionally crafted mouth protectors during sports.

2. Always use a car seat for young children. Require seat belts for everyone else in the car.

3. Child-proof your home. A significant percentage of mouth injuries occur in children under the age of 3.

4. Protect children from unnecessary toothaches with regular dental visits and preventive care.

Bramble Heidt is an editorial assistant at Curious Parents. Some information courtesy of The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.