Children run, jump and fall with an unforeseeable predictability and their teeth often end up bearing the brunt of these scrapes and tumbles. More than 5 million teeth are knocked out every year. From tooth chipping to loosening to even complete loss of a tooth, this blog deals with WHAT TO DO WHEN THE TOOTH IS KNOCKED OUT.

If a baby tooth is knocked out:

1. Comfort the child and contact the paediatric dentist as soon as possible.

2. Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compress to reduce swelling

.

REMEMBER-BABY TEETH, IF KNOCKED OUT, SHOULD NOT BE REPLANTED DUE TO POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO THE DEVELOPING PERMANENT TOOTH.

If a Permanent Tooth is Knocked Out:

1. First and foremost- Do not panic. Calm the injured child and try to locate the lost tooth.

2. Once found, lift it using only the crown portion.

3. In case it has dirt or debris, rinse under milk or cold running water.

Do not under any circumstances touch the root portion of the tooth.

4. KEEP THE TOOTH MOIST AT ALL TIMES. Place the tooth in a container of milk or coconut water. If neither is available, place in a container containing child’s saliva and transport to the nearest paediatric dentist.

5. A knocked out tooth is considered a dental emergency and the child and the tooth should reach the dentist as soon as possible (ideally within 15-30 minutes. Delay greater than 60 minutes leads to subsequent worsening of prognosis).

REMEMBER- TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE! THE FASTER ONE REACHES THE DENTIST, THE BETTER
THE CHANCES OF GETTING TOOTH BACK.

What can I do to prevent this?

Falls and tumbles are a part of growing up and it is not possible to predict when a thing like this will happen. However, it is always best to be prepared! A mouth guard is a tooth protecting device that can be worn during physical activity and contact sports to minimize the chances of a traumatic dental injury. Ask Dr. Shefali, our pediatric dentist at Aspen about customized mouth guards today!