Teenagers always have a care-free attitude towards life. And it is absolutely right! However, there are times when these teens take unnecessary risks like playing unsafe sports and venturing into the unknown which can result in injuries and accidents. If you go through physical pain during accidents that can be endured; however, when it comes to your teeth, accidents can result in fatal consequences. The good news is that you can deal with the trauma of dental injury by taking the help of emergency dental services provided by a prominent dentist.
Now, if you are thinking about what precautions to take and things to be done when your teenage son/daughter undergoes such an unfortunate event and bears lots of pain in their teeth, this is the write-up that you need to read.
However, before we move forward, it is imperative to look at the definition of dental trauma. Dental trauma is a phenomenon that is caused due to injury to the teeth and the surrounding gums, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone. It can even include soft tissues like tongue, lips etc.
Dental trauma can be of various types:
- Dental Injuries
- Enamel infraction
- Enamel fracture
- Enamel-dentine fracture
- Enamel-dentine fracture involving pulp exposure
- Root fracture of the tooth
- Periodontal injuries
- Concussion (bruising)
- Subluxation of the tooth (tooth knocked loose)
- Luxation of the tooth (displaced)
- Extrusive
- Intrusive
- Lateral
- Avulsion of the tooth
Now, let’s look at the different things that you can do if you observe your teenage son/daughter suffering from dental trauma. The very first thing that you can ever do is to stop panicking. First of all, look out whether the teeth have cracked, chipped or loosen out due to the fatal accident. Do not assume anything worse. However, it is easier said than done. Once you have evaluated the condition of your teenager, it is time to think about the next step. Take him/her to your dentist as soon as possible, as any amount of delay can lead to long-term damage.
If your teenager is dealing with dental trauma, inquire whether the dentist you are visiting handles emergency treatments. In case he/she does not, it is better to use Find a Dentist to locate a dental practice to help your son/daughter.
If your child is experiencing trauma to their teeth, follow this piece of advice before you reach the dentist.
Knocked-Out Teeth
Baby Teeth
In case your teenage son/daughter knocks out their “baby” tooth, do not panic. Follow these steps given below before wasting any precious time:
- Try to locate the tooth. Grasp it by the crown only and never by the root.
- In case, it is a baby tooth, never try to reinsert it into the mouth. If you are not sure of what to do, the best thing is to keep the tooth in the milk or saliva to take it back to your dentist.
- Never waste a single second before taking your teenage son/daughter to the dentist.
Note: The crown is that part of the tooth that can be seen inside the mouth while the root covers the jawbone and cannot be seen through naked eyes. Depending on your child’s age, the baby tooth may not have much root structuring left. The reason being, the root resorbs for the tooth to become loose before falling out.
Permanent Teeth
Try to stay calm and ensure that you reach your dentist within half an hour.
- Search for the tooth and grasp it by the crown and not the root surface.
- In case the tooth is dirty, rinse it in milk or tap water for a short period. Never scrub it.
- Insert the tooth back in position inside the mouth. While doing this, ensure that it is facing the right way. Smoothly bite down on the soft cloth or tissue. Alternatively, you can even utilise aluminium foil or your mouthguard to hold it in place.
- If you are unable to replant the tooth, it is better to transport it to your dentist by keeping it in milk or saliva. Never try to store it in water.
Never Try These Things:
- Wrapping the tooth in paper towel or serviette.
- Storing the tooth in the water while taking it to the dentist.
- Scrubbing the root surface of the tooth while rinsing it.
- Delaying in seeing the dentist as it can have a long-term effect on the teeth of your child.
Dental Injuries
Another form of trauma to the teeth is injuries that can cause the tooth or multiple teeth to:
Move from their original position, i.e., pushed backward
Try to move the teeth smoothly back to the original place and close the mouth by using a soft cloth or tissue between the front teeth.
Crack, chip or fracture
In case, if you see a cracked, chipped, or fractured tooth fragment in your teenage son/daughter, rush them to the dentist immediately.
Get Loose
Get pressed into the gums and bones and the tooth is not visible to the naked eyes
If you see any of these types of traumas in your teenage son/daughter, take them to the dentist immediately.
In case your child develops a toothache, book an appointment with your dentist immediately. When you have time to get there, rinse your child’s mouth with salty water. You can even use paracetamol for pain relief. If you can observe any facial swelling, it is time to take your child to your dentist without wasting any more time. However, these recommendations will not work for babies who are teething.
Prevention
Children, teenagers, and adults should wear a custom-fitted mouthguard provided by the dentist. With the help of this thing, your teenage son/daughter will get protected whenever their face gets hurt by absorbing and spreading the impact of the blow to the face, which would otherwise have resulted in injury to the mouth and/or jaws. Teenagers should wear mouthguards while they are training and on the game day.
So, how do you plan to deal with dental trauma in teens? Was this piece of information helpful to you in finding out the root cause of the dental trauma in your teenage child? For further assistance and guidance, you can reach out to your selected dental service and in case of any emergency, google search “emergency dental services” today.
