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Day: February 9, 2017

February 9, 2017

Let’s say your child is in the midst of a hockey game and they are playing hard by defending the goal. Then in the blink of an eye, the puck comes square to their mouth and their tooth is knocked out! In the sports world, it may seem like a right of passage, but as a parent we want to react instantaneously! The regular protocol may be to wrap the tooth in a tissue and rush your child to the dentists office. However, there are a few steps that will help your dentist give your child the best treatment for their missing tooth. Firstly, depending on whether the tooth is a baby tooth or not, you can decide on re-implanting the tooth or settling for an early visit from the tooth fairy. In any case, it is best to keep your options open and hold onto that tooth. Here are some steps I recommend:

Step 1. After you have comforted your child, remember that it can be a scary encounter but rest assured there are many solutions and worrying can make a situation worse.

Step 2. Try to locate a sterilized gauze to insert into your child’s mouth and have them bite down on it to stop the bleeding.

Step 3. Rinse the tooth in milk or cold water and remember to avoid touching the root of the tooth in order to not damage any remaining skin or nerves that may later effect the reattachement of the tooth if still possible. You can also place the tooth in the patients cheek or under their tongue for storage until they get to the dentist.

Step 4. If possible, attempt to place the tooth in its original socket, if not keep the tooth in a container of milk, salt water or saliva.

Step 5. Head to the dentist as soon as possible and bring the tooth with you. If you can’t find the tooth, your child may have swallowed it and this may be resolved by a simple X-ray.

The most important thing to remember is that no matter the scenario of how the incident happened, follow these steps to get the best treatment. Hopefully one day this will make a great story when your child is googling what to do with your grandchild’s tooth!

– Dr. Jay Rabinovich

Posted in Blog by Jade