Losing a tooth unexpectedly can be traumatic and painful for a child (and their worried parents). If your child cracked, chipped or knocked their tooth out, you’re probably frantically searching for solutions – “What happens if a baby tooth gets knocked out?”, “What should I do if my child hits his front tooth?”, “Toddler knocked tooth out.”
First, it’s critical to get your child to a dentist as soon as possible to assess the damage and prevent further oral hygiene problems. The good news is those baby teeth will eventually fall out anyway, so there’s no need to panic. However, here’s what you need to know to respond to the situation.
Losing baby teeth happens frequently, and it’s no cause for concern, although you do want to see a dentist as soon as possible. Baby teeth have much shorter and smaller roots than adult teeth, so even the slightest impact can cause the tooth to fall out.
On a more positive note, since baby teeth do have shorter roots, a knocked out baby tooth is less likely to cause permanent damage to the gums or jawbone.
If your child hits their front tooth and it looks like the tooth is completely knocked out, you should, after calming your child, try to find the tooth. Finding the tooth will help you and the paediatric dentist determine whether the tooth was fully knocked out or just broken. This conclusion will alter the course of treatment.
Never try to reinsert the baby tooth into the gum socket. While this is the recommended course of action for adult teeth, your dentist won’t try to salvage a baby tooth. If a baby tooth is knocked out, it is dead, and reinserting it can cause an infection. To save a permanent tooth, patients undergo root canal therapy to remove the dead nerve tissue and prevent infection.
Say your child fell and bumped their tooth into a new position. This is called a luxation injury, where the tooth gets partially displaced from the dental socket either forward, backward, or excessively exposing the root.
Depending on the severity of the injury, your dentist may decide to reposition the tooth or leave it alone and monitor the progress. When a dentist repositions a luxated tooth, the child has to wear a splint for a few weeks to ensure proper recovery.
If your child chipped, cracked or knocked out a baby tooth, Marsfield Dental Care in Sydney can help. Our expert paediatric dentists will explain what happens if you encounter a baby tooth pushed back after a fall, and how you can care for your child’s broken tooth at home.
"The information in this website may be simplified in nature and does not replace professional advice. Risks and consequences may apply to any treatment. Always seek a second opinion when considering complex treatment. A referral to a specialist may be required in certain situations. Quotations can only be given after proper clinical assessment and so pricing details cannot be given over the phone."
COVID 19 Update - Oct 2021
All our members of staff - Dentists and supporting assistants - are fully vaccinated. We are a COVID-safe practice and we are open for all general dental treatment needs and services.
