So, let’s say your kid is (without your permission) jumping on their bed. However, they suddenly trip and fall onto the floor. While most of your little one’s body seems fine, though, you see that the child knocked out a tooth. What should you do? For starters, call a nearby children’s dentist for the earliest possible visit. From there, you’ll need to do what you can to handle the situation. Luckily, your local dental practice can help with this latter point. Here are some steps for managing your child’s knocked-out tooth and ways a dentist can fix the issue.
What to Do if Your Child Knocks Out a Tooth
After you’ve booked a dental visit, help your child process the situation with comfort and empathy. Once they’ve calmed down a bit, follow the steps below:
- Find the Tooth: If your child loses a permanent tooth, there’s a good chance your dentist can save it. That said, find it as soon as possible and ensure it isn’t fractured.
- Handle It Gently: When picking up the tooth, do so by its top and not its roots. Also, briefly clean it in a bowl of lukewarm tap water.
- If Possible, Put the Tooth in its Socket: While holding it by the crown, try to insert the tooth back into your child’s socket while they bite down on gauze or a moist paper towel. After that’s done, have them bite down until you reach a dentist.
- If Necessary, Store it Safely: It may not be possible for you to put the tooth back in its socket. In that case, store it in your child’s cheek, a container of saliva, or cold milk.
The last thing to do is simple: Get to your dentist as soon as possible for treatment.
How a Dentist Can Help
Whether your little one lost a permanent tooth or a baby one, they’ll have a procedure ready to solve the problem.
As said before, a dentist could reattach a child’s permanent tooth. They’d splint it to adjacent teeth with a thin metal or plastic wire. Over the next several weeks, the ligaments that connect the tooth to the jawbone should regrow. Your dentist will remove the splint when the tooth is strong and reattached.
If your child lost a baby tooth, on the other hand, your dentist would likely use a space maintainer. In particular, they’d insert the metal tool in the affected area to keep the space open. That way, there’ll be enough room for your kid’s permanent tooth to appear over time.
Having read the items above, you can see there’s no need to panic. Even if your child knocked out a tooth, applying the proper steps and treatment can solve the problem.
About the Practice
Miller & Wolf Family Dentistry is based in Altavista, VA. As led by Drs. Paul Miller, Rudy Wolf, and Gwen Hooks, the practice provides comprehensive dental services for excellent prices. That said, its staff offers preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, including emergency procedures. They can also perform dental sedation for anxious patients upon request. For more information or to book an appointment, you can reach them on their website or by phone at (434)-324-8241.