Every parent knows how difficult it is to keep a child still for too long. They love to run, jump and bang on everything. Being young, energetic and quite uncoordinated can lead to lots of falls, trips and bumps, including chipped teeth.
When this injury happens, we as parents usually end up in panic more than the child. As frightening as it may seem, a child chipping a tooth is quite common. Especially if the child has tooth decay, the weakened teeth can break and fracture. If you find yourself in this situation, here’s what to do to help your child.
Dealing with Chipped Tooth
The first thing you must do is to keep calm. Breaking a tooth is a very common among kids. This situation can be fixed by dentist.
1. Check your child’s mouth if there are piece of tooth stuck in the lips, tongue or gums. Once it is clear, rinse the child’s mouth with water.
2. If the chipped area is bleeding, take a piece of wet soft cloth or gauze and have your child bite down on it. Keep the pressure until the bleeding stops.
3. If possible, collect any chipped tooth and keep them in a cup of saliva or milk. Your Mint Kids Dentistry dentist may be able to reattach them.
4. Once first aid is administered, contact your dentist immediately as tooth’s nerve may be exposed, requiring immediate attention.
5. If a child’s mouth is inflamed, place a cold compress it alleviate the swelling and discomfort.
6. If the child is in pain, administer over-the-counter, age-appropriate pain reliever.
If you respond quickly, you can save your child’s teeth and avoid any extensive dental work. Your pediatric dentist will be able to tell you the best ways to treat a broken tooth.
If your child is young, he/she may not be able to realize what happened. Avoid making him feel self-conscious or awkward about the chipped tooth, particularly if it is noticeable.
Understanding Treatment Options for Chipped Tooth
A better way to ease your child’s worry is to know the treatment options. While you and the dentist will eventually decide on the best option, it is good to learn what is available. The best treatment will depend on the location and size of the chip. For minor chips, the dentist will simply file the tooth to smoothen. For larger chips, the dentist may choose dental bonding – where in a bonding material is placed where the tooth chipped off – or if bonding is not possible, you may use veneers.
In the case of a very tiny crack, no treatment may be needed. Treating baby teeth is quite different. While the baby teeth are important, your pediatric dentist’s main priority is protecting the developing permanent tooth.