Learn how to help your child if they experience a dental injury.
If you have children, you will know that accidents happen. No matter how careful you are, the reality is that most children love to run and play, which means that they often fall or knock into things by accident. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to prepare for potential accidents and to help your child if they experience an injury that leads to a dental emergency.
Read on to find out how you can support your child in a dental emergency, and what you should do if an accident does happen…
1. Know how to handle a dental emergency
When it comes to handling a dental emergency, there are a few basic guidelines worth knowing. If your child has experienced an injury or some kind of trauma to the mouth and/or teeth, try to stay calm while you check for bleeding. If you identify any bleeding, you can apply pressure to the affected area and then gently clean the area with salt water or an antiseptic rinse. Once the wound has been cleaned, you should be able to get a clearer sense of the severity of the injury. You should then take your child to see their dentist as soon as you can.
If your child’s face is swollen, you can minimise this side-effect by placing an ice pack or cool compress on their face. Explain to your child that their dentist will be able to help by alleviating their pain and repairing any teeth that may have been damaged.
If your child already has permanent teeth, and one has been knocked out as the result of the injury, be sure to handle it gently. Hold it by the crown, rather than the roots. If you can, gently place the tooth back in the socket and tell your child to bite down gently. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a container of milk until you can get to the dentist.
2. Have a first aid kit ready
As a parent, it is always a good idea to have an emergency first aid kit prepared in the case of a dental emergency. Although you should take your child to the dentist as soon as possible, it’s advisable that you have a few basics available to clean any wounds and provide relief from swelling.
Some items that are worth having on hand in your emergency dental kit include a cold compress, a small container suitable for storing a knocked-out tooth, mouthwash, and gauze.
3. See your dentist as soon as possible
If your child experiences any kind of trauma to the mouth and/or teeth, it is usually best to see their dentist as soon as possible, especially if a tooth has been knocked out or visibly damaged in any way. By seeking professional treatment promptly, it is often possible to save a tooth. Even if you can’t see any damage, it is advisable that you pay a visit to your child’s dentist — sometimes x-rays are needed to identify issues.
How can we help?
At Murwillumbah Dental, we treat members of the whole family, including children. If your child has a dental emergency that needs to be addressed, please don’t hesitate to get in touch so that we can help as soon as possible.
We also offer custom-made mouthguards for children, which are designed to cover the teeth and gums and protect the teeth from serious damage during sports and other activities that carry the risk of dental injury. If your child participates in a contact sport or an activity like cycling or skating, we encourage you to have them fitted with a mouthguard.
To find out about the full range of services that we offer at Murwillumbah Dental, please have a look here.
To arrange an appointment to see us, please get in touch with us here or give us a call on (02) 6672 1068.
