Why Parents Should Worry About Knocked-Out Baby Teeth

Although baby teeth are designed to fall out at some point in your child’s development, a knocked-out tooth is different. When a tooth is knocked out due to an injury or accident, it can cause dental trauma or may come out too early, impacting the permanent teeth under the gums.

Even if it isn’t an emergency, a dental checkup is warranted to make sure there are no problems. Li'l Teeth Dentistry specializes in gentle care for dental injuries like knocked-out baby teeth.

First Steps if Your Child Knocks Out a Baby Tooth

Don’t panic if your child knocks out a baby tooth. These teeth don’t have long roots, so they don’t usually cause much damage. You also don’t have to worry about finding the tooth, since we won’t try to put it back in place. Instead, focus on comforting your child and remaining calm. Have your child rinse their mouth, then use gauze or a washcloth as a cold, wet compress to minimize swelling and stop any bleeding.

Next, call our office for an appointment so we can check for any soft tissue damage. In most cases, particularly for older children, we may do nothing about the missing tooth other than monitor the space. However, if your child is young, we may place a spacer or a false tooth to keep adjacent teeth from shifting into the empty space.

Why You Should See a Pediatric Dentist Quickly

Although we may not need to do anything major if a baby tooth is knocked out, you should always see a pediatric dentist at Li'l Teeth Dentistry as soon as possible. If you delay having your child’s mouth checked, an infection could set in, leading to serious complications. We will look for signs of trauma, disease, and damage to the gums, jawbone, and other teeth. Any of these problems needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

Possible Complications from Losing a Baby Tooth Early

Immediate complications following a knocked-out baby tooth include pain, swelling, and bleeding. Still, other possible complications may need dental care, including:

• Infection
• Shifting of adjacent teeth
• Speech difficulties
• Damage to the permanent teeth
• Misalignment of permanent teeth
• Bite issues

Preventing Dental Trauma in Kids

We can’t wrap our children in bubble wrap and protect them from everything, but as parents, we can reduce their chances of dental trauma by taking a few steps to protect their baby teeth, including:

• Childproofing your home, especially sharp corners, so that your child is less likely to bump into something that could knock a tooth out.
• Preventing your child from chewing on hard objects, such as pens, or crunching on ice, can help prevent a loose tooth from being prematurely dislodged.
• Make sure your child always wears a mouthguard during sports to protect their teeth from injuries.
• Supervise play time with other children. It is easy for young children to get rowdy, swinging toys at each other, or pushing and shoving. Nip these actions early on.

When to Seek Emergency Dental Care in Aurora, CO

You should always arrange a dental checkup for your child after a baby tooth is knocked out. In some situations, it becomes an emergency, and you will need to bring your child to our office immediately. Any of the situations below is an emergency, and you should call us immediately and head to our office with your child without delay:

• Your child’s bleeding will not stop or slow down.
• Their pain and swelling are increasing.
• There is damage to other teeth, the gums, or the jawbone.
• Fragments of the missing tooth remain in the jaw.

Gentle Care for Little Smiles

While a knocked-out baby tooth or any dental injury can be upsetting, it is manageable with proper intervention from a pediatric dentist. At Li'l Teeth Dentistry, we can relieve your child’s pain and speed up their recovery. Contact us at Green Valley Ranch Office Phone Number 303-307-9999 for same-day emergency kids’ dental care.