Blood is gushing everywhere, and your child is hysterical with a mouth that looks like it could have come straight out of a horror movie! When teeth get knocked out unwillingly, they can create quite the scary image. Taking steps in the following steps in this type of emergency can save your child’s smile.
STAY CALM!
Your child may be very upset, so it’s important that you stay CALM! Reassure your child and then ask them to slowly open their mouth and show you the tooth, so you can determine what type of tooth fell out – primary or permanent and where. Once you’ve de-escalated the situation, it’s important to stop the bleeding and ease the pain. You may get the bleeding under control by applying a cold compress to the area. This will also ease pain and swelling.
If it’s a primary tooth
We typically do not replace baby teeth, but it will be necessary for you to schedule an appointment to determine whether any damage was done that may cause issues for permanent teeth. In many cases, these issues can be resolved with space maintainers and other small procedures.
If it’s a permanent tooth
Don’t touch the root! Carry the tooth by the crown end. If the tooth falls out on the floor or another surface, clean the tooth gently with milk to remove any dust or particles, and try to gently place it in the socket where it fell out. Get your child to bite down on a washcloth or rag to keep the tooth in place until you can see your pediatric dentist. Knocking out a permanent tooth is an emergency, so if the tooth falls out outside of office hours, make sure to call the dentist’s emergency phone line. Time is of the essence with knocked out permanent teeth, and your dentist’s chances of minimizing damage are increased the sooner they can treat your child.
Pediatric Dental Associates of Alabama is led by top-rated pediatric dentists with locations in Birmingham, Cullman, Medplex-Hoover, Oxford and Pell City. When looking for your child’s dentist, know that we aspire to be the premier provider of pediatric dental services in Alabama. We also provide orthodontics in our Medplex-Hoover and Cullman locations. Beautiful smiles are our specialty!