Baby teeth aren’t permanent, we all know that. But do you know what to do if your child’s baby tooth gets knocked out unexpectedly? Here we outline exactly what to do if your kiddo has an accident and one of those pearly whites comes flying out.
First, check for more serious injuries
Knocking a tooth out usually requires a pretty big blow to the head so you’ll want to make sure your child does not have any head trauma. Look out for these head trauma symptoms:
- Bleeding from the nose or ears
- Memory loss
- Blackouts
- Dizziness
- Disorientation
- Misaligned jaws
- Drowsiness
- Severe head or earaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Double or blurry vision
If you observe any of these symptoms call 911 or head to the emergency room. You shouldn’t take any chances with head trauma so it’s best to be cautious. If your child doesn’t show any of the symptoms listed above, you can switch your focus to calling your pediatric dentist.
Call your pediatric dentist right away
Call your dentist and have your child seen immediately. Quick action can lessen your child’s discomfort and prevent infection.
Rinse with cold water
Rinse your child’s mouth with cold water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and stop the bleeding.
We suggest comforting your child until they can be seen, rather than frantically looking for the tooth. Baby teeth should not be replanted because of potential damage to developing permanent teeth and unlikely success of re-implantation.
Be prepared
Kids lose teeth all the time, so it’s good to be prepared. Sometimes losing a tooth is a visit from the tooth fairy and other times it’s a trip to the emergency room. As a parent, the best thing you can do is to keep calm, rule out any serious injuries, and call your dentist immediately. Acting promptly, we will have your child smiling again in no time.
We hope you found this article helpful. If your kids play sports make sure to read our post on The Importance of a Mouthguard for Kids Playing Sports. And don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions on the topic.
