Children like to roughhouse and play around, which is natural, but it can lead to injury, especially when it comes to teeth. Whether into sports or just goofing around with friends, children can get a little reckless when it comes to protecting themselves, and there are instances where a fair bit of play results in a tooth being dislodged or knocked out. When this happens, it is natural that your child panics, but you must do your best to remain calm. Your actions immediately following the event may actually save your child’s tooth.
Find the Tooth
The first thing you need to do is to locate the tooth. While this might be challenging, especially if you were not close to where the tooth was lost, try to have your child pinpoint where the tooth was knocked out. Once you find the tooth, do not pick it up or hold it by the root because you can cause more damage. Hold it by the crown or the chewing end.
Call the Dentist
During the search and rescue, either call the dentist on your own or have someone else do it. It is necessary to alert the dentists right away so that they can make arrangements for the emergency. The accident may have occurred during evening hours, on a busy afternoon or when the dentist is away. Therefore, calling them will allow ample time to notify the dentist’s and office staff so appointments and things can be arranged.
Salvage the Tooth
Next, you will need to salvage the tooth. There are three ways to do this. First, you can place the tooth in a container with a balanced salt solution. If you don’t have such a solution, you can also use saline, milk or your child’s saliva. Second, the tooth can be placed between the lower lip and gum. Third, if your child is older, the tooth can be placed back in the socket, but don’t touch the root. If you choose this option, then have your child bite down on gauze to keep the tooth in place. Whichever method you choose, the most important thing to remember is you don’t store the tooth in tap water.
Soothe Your Child
After you have taken all the appropriate steps to salvage the tooth, you can soothe your child. While it may seem that these steps will take a long time, they all happen within minutes, and though your child might be in pain and shock, you need to prioritize your actions for the sake of their tooth and smile.
Salvaging a knocked out tooth is possible. However, you need to stay calm, follow the above steps and call a dentist.
Resource: Dental Care
