Emergency Medical Care—Quick, What To Do When Your Child Loses A Tooth From An Accident

If your son or daughter has recently experienced a dental trauma and one or more teeth was lost, it is crucial to remember that even after a tooth was lost, it can still be successfully re-implanted. However, there are strict time limits for doing so and missing even one tooth can be risky to their future dental health. 

When Do You Do When A Young Child Lost A Tooth From An Accident Or Injury?

If your little one has experienced the loss of a tooth, it is first necessary to verify whether the tooth in question was a primary tooth or an adult tooth. Obviously, children under school-age rarely have permanent teeth yet. That means that although you should still speak with the dentist, a missing baby tooth rarely presents with significant problems and  it is not unusual to be advised to simply wait for the adult tooth to come in later, assuming that the underlying teeth and gums are unimpaired. 

The exception to that would be if your child is under the age of two. In that instance, you will usually be advised to see a dentist, because if the baby tooth is not present when the larger teeth come in, there is a higher chance of crooked teeth. To prevent that, a dental spacer may be offered to very young children to preserve their sweet smile.

What If A Permanent Tooth Is Dislodged?

If a permanent tooth is dislodged, regardless of the patient's age, it is an emergency situation that requires quick care to recover from properly. For example, it is often surprising to learn that if an intact, healthy tooth is knocked out, it may be possible for the tooth to be re-introduced into the gumline if it is done within 30 minutes of the loss.

First, you need to find the tooth and gently wipe it off. Then, you need to keep the roots healthy by keeping them wet. This can be done by wrapping the tooth in clean gauze or cloth and placing the tooth in a cup of warm water or milk for safekeeping. 

In conclusion, the loss of a tooth, regardless of its type can be traumatic to a young child. Therefore, it is up to you to make sure that today's accident does not mean years of closed-mouth smiles. Fortunately, modern dental care has many options that will allow your child to provide or maintain the smile they deserve and the loss of a tooth does not have to be permanent. For more information, talk to a dentist like Children's Dentistry of Lake County.

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