Tooth injuries aren’t uncommon. As many as 50% of children are predicted to suffer a tooth injury at some point. Tooth injuries can range from a minor chip or crack to a completely broken tooth. While primary teeth are meant to fall out eventually, them breaking before they fall out can be cause for concern. So what should you do if your child breaks a tooth?
Clean
The first thing to do to treat a broken tooth is to clean the mouth. To do this, have your child gently swish water around in their mouth before spitting it out. This can help reduce the risk of infection. Use plain warm water, salt water, or a mix of equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide. If your child is too young to spit the water back out, stick with plain warm water.
Manage and Care
If pain and swelling are a problem, applying ice for 15 minutes at a time may help. Wrap it in a towel and hold it over the swelling. Control bleeding with clean gauze pads, replacing them if they can’t absorb more blood. Cut food up into small pieces and encourage your child to chew food on the other side of their mouth for the meantime. OTC pain medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can be used as directed to help with the pain. Do not apply the pain medication directly to the gums, however, as this can cause burns and delay healing.
Seek Professional Treatment ASAP
A broken tooth is worth a visit to Dr. Kahlon. Depending on the break, the tooth may need to be filled, have a root canal done, or be extracted altogether. Call Stellar Kids Dentistry and get an appointment scheduled as soon as possible so your child can get the treatment they need. Remember, dentists like Dr. Kahlon are the only ones who can actually repair a broken tooth. It’s important to seek professional treatment as soon as possible, especially if your child has a fever or other symptoms of infection along with the broken tooth.
Children are meant to spend a lot of their time playing. It’s how they learn. Unfortunately, play that is a bit more rough and tumble seems to be an inevitable part of childhood. If your child breaks a tooth, make sure you come to see Dr. Kahlon as soon as possible so they can get the treatment they need.
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