Kids will be kids and we want them to be active! However, what do you do if that liveliness causes a broken tooth? What do you do if your child chips, cracks, or knocks out a tooth? Let’s look at some guidelines to help you, as parents, navigate these sometimes stressful situations.
Rule number 1: don’t panic.
Easier said than done, but keep this thought in the back of your mind: your dentist sees this all the time, and it’s no big deal.
Chipped Tooth
If a small amount of your tooth has chipped, there is no need to worry about trying to located the piece, it is impossible to bond a small amount of a broken tooth. Simply call your dentist as soon as you can and we will schedule you to evaluate the area as soon as possible.
Broken Tooth
- Look for any tooth fragments. If a baby tooth was involved, there is no need to save the pieces. If a permanent tooth lost a large piece, you may preserve it in a clean container in a moist solution (cold milk, water, saliva).
- Call your dentist.
Avulsed Tooth (knocked out tooth)
- Rinse your mouth with cold water and apply a cold compress to your face to reduce swelling.
- Check the inside of your mouth and identify the tooth (or teeth) in question. Look for the tooth that may have fallen. If it was a baby tooth that fell out, do not try to put it back. Instead, put it in a safe place in case your dentist wants to see it. If a permanent tooth was affected, either preserve it in a clean container in a moist solution (cold milk, water, saliva), or place the tooth back into the socket and bite down gently on some gauze or a piece of cloth.
- Call your dentist. It doesn’t matter what time of day or day of the week, Adams and Cheek Dentistry has an emergency number to call or text on our after-hours voicemail message. If you are unable to get the after-hours emergency line, you should visit the emergency room to get assessed. Of course you’re in luck if the tooth situation occurs during normal business hours. Call us at 919.866.1360 or click here for our contact information. Tell us what happened and we will get you in as soon as possible!
