Toddler Tooth Injury

Your 26-month old toddler is always hyperactive and keeps jumping around. You may find it difficult to pin him down at once. Before you blink your eyes, he falls flat on his face while jumping on the cot and cries inconsolably. You manage to console him somehow and you check for loose teeth or broken teeth. To your relief, there aren’t any!

However, after few days you notice that one of his top teeth is missing. You make your child open his mouth and notice that the tooth has an intrusion or is pushed inside the gums because of the fall. Ouch! That can really hurt!

Types of Toddler Tooth Injury

• Loosened tooth: If your toddler is suffering from a loosened tooth, he may bleed for some time; it generally tightens on its own.
• Displaced tooth: In this type of injury, the tooth generally gets pushed back inside the gums. Only a dentist can suggest the apt treatment to get it out.
• Chipped or fractured tooth
• Knocked out tooth

Remedies for Toddler Tooth Injury

In case your toddler suffers a tooth injury, the first thing you need to do is avoid panicking. Stay calm and plan a right course of action.

A dislodged milk tooth is difficult to be replaced; there is no need to worry as it is temporary tooth. If it is a permanent tooth, then prompt action should be taken to save it. Also, a permanent tooth survives if it is replaced within 30 minutes of injury.

• In case there is bleeding, put some ice cold water on a piece of gauze and apply pressure to the site to stop the bleeding.
• Reduce the swelling by giving your child an ice-pop to suck on.
• Contact a dentist. The dentist may want to see the child in order to assess and suggest the right treatment.
• Watch your child over a week and ensure that there are no signs of abscess such as fever or swollen and tender gums next to the site.
• Feed your child soft food.

Treatment for Toddler Tooth Injury

If your toddler has suffered a fall, you need to inform the doctor if you feel that:

• Your child has suffered a serious injury;
• Your child’s tooth is almost falling out;
• Bleeding doesn’t stop even after applying pressure for 10 minutes;
• The tooth is pushed far away from its normal position;
• There is severe pain;
• If your baby is less than a year old;
• The tooth is interfering with normal biting.

Even after the treatment, you need to keep a close watch on your child and inform the doctor if:

• The tooth is sensitive to cold fluids, or if
• The tooth turns darker in color.

Toddlers will experience falls and injuries. However, as a parent, you need to stay calm and plan the right way to act in case he is injured.