For many children and their parents, dental injury is a common issue. Here, our Langley dentists list the most common dental injuries in kids and how they can be prevented.
Children & Tooth Injuries
Most kids are itching to play and stay active - from participating in recreational activities and running during gym class to horsing around with siblings, they've got lots to do and energy to burn.
Unfortunately, this also means there's lots or opportunity for slips, trips, falls and hits to the mouth that can lead to dental trauma.
These injuries can occur at any age and may happen due to primary (baby) teeth or permanent (adult) teeth. Common dental injuries include chipped or cracked teeth. Sometimes, a tooth may detach from its socket or be completely knocked out.
This can cause increased sensitivity, pain or bleeding surrounding an injured tooth. In this post, we'll explore some of the most common dental injuries in children in detail and how they can be prevented.
Object Caught in Teeth
Though we watch our children as closely as possible, injuries can occur within the blink of an eye. Foreign objects such as jewellery, small buttons, paper clips or toy parts can get caught between teeth.
If this happens to your kid, use dental floss to gently remove the object - never a sharp, plastic or metal tool.
Toothache
Cavities or other underlying oral health problems can lead to toothaches. If your child is suffering from a toothache, check to confirm that nothing is caught between teeth and have him or her rinse their mouth with warm water. Apply a cold compress to the area to ease pain.
That said, we recommend against taking aspirin or applying heat or topical pain reliever directly to the area as this may cause gum damage.
Loose or Dislocated Primary Tooth
Permanent teeth erupt and naturally replace children's primary teeth. But sometimes, kids can lose primary teeth due to hits to the mouth, trips or falls that lead to dislocated teeth. If your child has a very loose tooth, it should be removed to avoid being inhaled or swallowed.
Broken, Chipped or Fractured Tooth
Has a piece of your child's tooth broken off or chipped? If so, the first thing you'll want to do is have them rinse with warm water, then apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Try to locate and save the tooth fragment that's broken off and call your dentist immediately.
Preventing Dental Injuries in Children
Many dental injuries in children can be prevented by preparing both them and their environment. These include:
- Child-proofing your home to avoid falls.
- Not allowing your child to chew on popcorn kernels, ice, hard candies or other hard foods.
- Using car seats for young children and requiring older children to properly wear their seat belts at all times while in your vehicle.
- Bringing your child in for regular dental cleanings and checkups with our Burnaby dentists to prevent cavities and toothaches.
- Having a custom dental mouth guard made to protect your little athlete's teeth while they are on the rink or field. These specially made mouth guards provide ideal comfort, fit and protection for your child's mouth.