TOOTH INJURY
Injury Definition
- Injury to a tooth.
Types of Tooth Injuries
- Loosened tooth - may bleed a little from the gums. Usually tightens up on its own.
- Displaced tooth (usually pushed inward).
- Chipped or fractured tooth.
- Avulsed (knocked out) tooth - a dental emergency for permanent teeth.
FIRST AID Advice for Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth:
- Transport the tooth in some milk or saliva (Milk is the best).
- If over 30 minutes away, try to replace the tooth in the socket before coming in.
- Note: Baby teeth can't be re-implanted.
WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR
Call your doctor now (night or day) if:
- You think your child has a serious injury.
- Permanent tooth knocked out. (Reason: needs reimplantation ASAP; 2 hours is the deadline for tooth survival.) See FIRST AID
- Permanent tooth is almost falling out.
- Baby tooth is almost falling out.
- Bleeding won't stop after 10 minutes of direct pressure.
- Tooth is greatly pushed out of its normal position.
- Tooth that's pushed out of its normal position interferes with normal bite.
- Severe pain.
- Age less than 1 year old.
Call your doctor within 24 hours (between 9am and 4pm) if:
- You think your child needs to be seen.
- Baby tooth knocked out by injury. (Reason: can't be reimplanted but dentist will check for damage to permanent tooth.)
- Tooth is slightly pushed out of its normal position.
- Can see a chip or fracture line (crack)in the tooth.
- Tooth sensitive to cold fluids.
- Tooth feels very loose when you try to move it.
Call your doctor during weekday office hours if:
- Tooth becomes a darker color
- You have other questions or concerns.
Parent care at home if:
- Minor tooth injury and you don't think your child needs to be seen.
HOME CARE ADVICE
- Local Cold: For pain, apply a piece of ice or a Popsicle to the injured gum area for 20 minutes.
- Pain Medicine: If it still hurts, give acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) or ibuprofen.
- Soft Diet: For any loose teeth, offer a soft diet for 3 days. By then, it should be tightened up.
- Call Your Dentist If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Tooth becomes sensitive to hot or cold fluids
- Tooth becomes a darker color
- Your child becomes worse
And remember, contact your doctor if your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.
REFERENCES
- Creighton PR. Common pediatric dental problems. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1998; 45:1579-1600.
- Fried I and Erickson P. Anterior tooth trauma in the primary dentition: Incidence, classification, treatment methods, and sequelae: A review of the literature. ASDC J Dent Child. 1995;62:256-261.
- Layug ML. Interim storage of avulsed permanent teeth. J Can Dent Assoc. 1998;64(5):357-63, 365-369.
- McTigue DJ. Diagnosis and management of dental injuries in children. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2000;47:1067-1084.
- Nowak AJ, Slayton RL. Trauma to primary teeth: Setting a steady management course for the office. Contemp Pediatr. 2002;19(11):99-118.
- Shusterman S. Pediatric dental update. Pediatr Rev. 1994;15:311-318.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.