Common Dental Injuries

Children are well known for getting into small accidents. However, when it’s more than just a scraped knee, you might be a little more concerned. This is especially true for injuries to your child’s mouth or teeth since these can cause lasting or permanent damage. Dental injuries are very common for kids and teens, but it’s important to know how to handle them and whether you need to visit your Ponte Vedra dentist for help. Here are some of the most common dental injuries and what you can do about them.

Knocked-Out Tooth

When a child knocks out a baby tooth, it’s typically not much cause for concern. Ensure there is no blood or stop the bleeding by biting down on a piece of gauze. Then, prepare for a visit from the Tooth Fairy! However, if an adult tooth gets knocked out, take immediate action. Handle the tooth by the crown (not the root), rinse it with saline or milk and then place it in a cup of milk or replace it in the socket.  Bite down on gauze or a paper towel to stabilize the tooth while on your way to the dentist.  Call your pediatric dentist to be seen immediately.

Broken/Chipped/Fractured Tooth

Depending on the cause of the injury, it may be possible to repair your child’s tooth if it becomes broken, chipped, or fractured. If it’s a baby tooth that’s been damaged, we may recommend a childhood tooth extraction. For adult teeth, we want to keep the natural teeth as much as possible. 

Loose Tooth

Most children have no problem with having loose baby teeth removed. If you notice your child has one of these, try to take it out as soon as you can to avoid swallowing or inhaling the tooth. If an adult tooth has become loose, please visit us at Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics as soon as possible. We’ll want to take a look to figure out why the tooth is loose and what we can do to fix it.

Toothache

A toothache can happen for a variety of reasons in children. If your child is complaining of pain in their mouth, first floss the teeth to ensure they do not have anything stuck between them. If that does not solve the problem, you may offer them children’s pain reliever. Do not use heat or aspirin for the toothache. Give your Ponte Vedra  pediatric dentist a call to assess the situation and possibly make an appointment to come in for treatment.

Bitten Lip/Tongue

Biting your lip, tongue, or the insides of your cheeks is very common when eating and chewing or playing sports. Most of the time, it’s a little painful but not usually a problem. However, if the bite is severe enough to cause bleeding, clean the affected area with warm water and use a cold compress to avoid swelling. Then, call us to see if you should bring them in for help.

Broken Braces

Ponte Vedra braces-wearers may accidentally break their wires or brackets at some time. If this happens, take your child to the orthodontist to have the broken pieces removed and replaced with new appliances. If your child is not in any pain, then it’s not an emergency, but come as soon as you’re next available. Dealing with it quickly can help avoid major damage to their orthodontic care.

Sports Injuries

Kids love being active and playing sports because it’s a great way to get out their energy and stay fit. However, it’s also very common for them to get injured while playing sports. Wearing a mouth guard is your first line of defense against damaging their teeth or jaw if they have an accident. If one does occur, make an appointment with your dentist right away.

The Top Dentist Ponte Vedra Parents Trust

Whether your child still has their baby teeth or if they’re almost done with braces, we can be your family’s pediatric dentist. We enjoy working with kids of all ages to help them build healthy oral hygiene habits and create a smile they’re proud to show off. Contact us online today or call 904-373-5120 to schedule your child’s Ponte Vedra family dentistry appointment or reach out to us if you or your child has dental injuries to address.