What Should You do if Your Child’s Tooth is Knocked Out?
Many parents are not sure about what exactly to do when something or someone knocks out their child's tooth. It is likely a traumatic experience for your young one that tends to happen at the worst times.
A child's tooth can easily fall out while playing sports or roughing it with friends.
The implication of a missing tooth varies on if it was a baby or permanent tooth that falls out.
A knocked out baby tooth is a less serious issue since the gap will eventually fill with a permanent one. Regardless of if it is a permanent or temporary tooth, a visit to the dentist is one of the most important steps to take.
First-aid for knocked out teeth
The first thing you want to do is comfort the child since there's likely lots of pain associated with the injury. If you are able to find the tooth, try reinserting it back in place. If there is excessive bleeding, try controlling it with a piece of sterile gauze placed firmly over the tooth's socket.
Try to avoid making contact with the root of the tooth while handling it. If it's dirty, rinse it with milk. If it is not possible to place the tooth back into the socket, place it in a cup of milk, saliva, or salt water. Head to the dentist's clinic as soon as you can and take the tooth with you.
Solutions for your child's tooth
While it is normal to lose your baby teeth during your pre-adolescence years, losing them early due to injuries or accidents can lead to issues down the road. Baby teeth that push into your gums can disrupt the growth of the permanent teeth beneath it. While missing baby teeth due to injuries can lead to misaligned permanent teeth, your dentist can address this problem by placing a space maintainer in your child's mouth. The space maintainer prevents the remaining teeth from crowding the gap of the missing tooth. These space maintainers will be where the missing tooth was.
It is also possible to reattach your child's tooth if it remains in place for a couple of months. The dentist will attach the tooth to the teeth next to it with a thin wire and the ligaments that join the tooth to your child's jawbone will regrow over time.
If you are unable to find your child's missing permanent tooth or your dentist wasn’t able to successfully reattach it, a dental bridge or implant can be used to fill up the gap. Implants are typically the preferred option unless your child is missing more than a tooth.
In Conclusion
Finding out your child had a tooth knocked out can be a gut-wrenching moment, but if you do the right things immediately. In most cases, your dentist will be able to easily restore your child's smile. Contact a dentist to learn more about knocked out teeth.
Please call Visalia Care Dental today at (559) 975-1213 or go to https://www.dentistofvisalia.com for more information!
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