Dental trauma is an injury of one or more teeth, caused by an impact to the face. This may happen to a milk tooth (temporary tooth) or an adult tooth (permanent tooth) and most often affects the teeth located at the front of the mouth: incisors and canines. Children and teenagers are most at risk of these types of accident. What should you do if this happens?
The specialists at Ardentis Dental Clinics and Orthodontics, experts in paediatric dentistry, are here to explain what you should do if your child suffers dental trauma and how to prevent it.
Prevention
Most dental trauma happens between the ages of 8 and 16, especially when the incisors are not protected by the lip or toward the end of jaw growth.
The effects of dental trauma can last a lifetime. That’s why prevention is better than treatment.
Some simple measures can help prevent dental trauma and its consequences:
- If the front teeth are prominent, there is a high risk of dental trauma in the case of impact. Orthodontic treatment would help to reposition the front teeth and therefore prevent serious consequences in the case of an accident.
- Children should never play, walk or run if they have an object (even a toothbrush) in their mouth.
- While practising high-risk sports (skateboarding, roller blading, riding a scooter, American football, rugby, hockey, combat sports, handball, football, basketball etc.), a dental accident due to a fall or an impact can be prevented in pre-adolescents and teenagers by wearing a mouth guard, ideally one that is custom made by a dentist.
If a tooth falls out
If it is a milk tooth:
- Contact your nearest Ardentis dental clinic as soon as possible in order to relieve any discomfort or pain the child is feeling and to prevent any complications such as infection.
- Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold water compresses.
- Comfort the child rather than spending time looking for the tooth: milk teeth will not be put back in the mouth so as to avoid damage to permanent teeth.
If it is a permanent tooth:
- Find the tooth and rinse it under cold water. Do not scrub it or use soap or disinfectant.
- Keep the tooth in cold milk or the child’s saliva (not in water), or otherwise in a clean container.
There are containers designed especially for this purpose, which already contain suitable liquid. These containers, called “Dentosafe”, are often available in schools and sport centres. - Take your child to the nearest Ardentis clinic immediately. They will take you as an emergency.
- Comfort the child.
If the tooth is fractured or chipped
- Contact your nearest Ardentis dental clinic as soon as possible in order to relieve any discomfort or pain the child is feeling and to prevent any complications such as infection.
- Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold water compresses.
- If you can find the broken bit of tooth, keep it in cold milk or the child’s saliva (not in water), or otherwise in a clean container.
- Take it with you to the dentist (only if it is a permanent tooth).
- Comfort the child.
If the tooth or teeth is/are bruised or have sunk into the gum
- Contact your nearest Ardentis dental clinic as soon as possible in order to relieve any discomfort or pain the child is feeling and to prevent any complications such as infection.
- Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold water compresses.
- Comfort the child.
In any case, we recommend that you contact your paediatrician to inform them of the accident and to have a second check-up.
Dental trauma requires treatment within the hour in order to maximise the chance of success.
Feel free to get in touch with our dental clinics, which are available from Monday to Saturday in case of dental emergencies, in Bulle, Collombey, Cossonay, Ecublens – EPFL, Genève, La Tour-de-Peilz, Lausanne – Benjamin-Constant, Lausanne – Chauderon, Lausanne – Flon, Morges – Gare, Pully, Renens, Vevey, Villars, Yverdon, Neuchâtel – Seyon, and Martigny.