Dental injury is a common issue for many children and their parents. In this post, our North Delta dentists share the most common dental injuries in kids and how they may be prevented.
Children & Tooth Injuries
Most kids love staying active - between horsing around with siblings, taking part in recreational activities, playing sports and running up and down the field at recess, there's lots to do and they've got energy to burn. Unfortunately, this also allows for ample risk of trips, slips, falls and hits to the mouth that can lead to dental trauma.
These injuries can happen at any age and may occur to primary (baby) teeth or permanent (adult) teeth. Common dental injuries include cracked or chipped teeth. Sometimes, a tooth may detach from its socket or be completely knocked out.
This can result in increased sensitivity, bleeding or pain surrounding an injured tooth. Let's explore some of the most common dental injuries in children in detail and how they can be prevented.
Toothache
Underlying oral health problems such as cavities or other issues can cause toothaches. If your child is suffering from a toothache, check to confirm there is not an object caught between them 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 damage to the gums.
You might consider giving your child children's pain relievers as recommended.
Object Caught in Teeth
While we watch our children as closely as possible, sometimes injuries occur within a blink of an eye. Foreign objects such as toy parts, jewellery, small buttons or paper clips can get caught.
If this is true for your kid, use dental floss to gently remove the object - never a sharp, metal or plastic tool.
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.