Losing a tooth is often a cause for concern, and that goes double in the case of your child losing theirs. There are all kinds of factors that affect what your next step should be, the most important being whether they’ve lost a baby tooth or not.
If you’re wondering how to handle this situation, here’s some advice you may find useful.
If Your Child Loses a Baby Tooth
If a baby tooth falls out on its own when it’s supposed to, there’s nothing to worry about. Usually this will happen after a few days of the tooth already being loose, so it shouldn’t come as all that much of a surprise. There may be some mild bleeding, but this should go away on its own pretty quickly. Just reassure your child that everything is ok.
However, a baby tooth being knocked out before it’s ready can pose some problems. The primary teeth serve to make room for the secondary (or adult) teeth, and losing one early can lead to alignment issues when the adult teeth finally come in.
When a baby tooth comes out prematurely it’s a good idea to let your dentist have a look. They’ll be able to perform X-rays and see if the permanent tooth has formed yet. If not, your child may need to wear a spacer until it comes in.
If Your Child Loses a Permanent Tooth
Obviously, losing a permanent tooth is a much more serious situation. First, you should make sure there isn’t severe damage to your child’s mouth and do what you can to stop any bleeding. You should then try and find the tooth that was lost and gently wash off any debris. Hold the tooth by the enamel, and try to keep as much of the root as possible intact.
Once it’s clean, place the tooth in a cup of milk. Saltwater will also do in a pinch, though it’s less than ideal. This will preserve it until you can get to the dentist’s office.
Once this is done, or if you can’t find the tooth, you should go to the closest dentist to you immediately. Time is of the essence, as the faster you move, the better the odds that the tooth can be replaced.
About the Author
Everybody has to make a living, and Dr. John Roberson is incredibly happy that he gets to do that by helping the people around him get healthy, beautiful smiles. His down-to-earth attitude helps his patients feel at ease and takes the stress out of dentistry. Dr. Roberson received his degree from the LSU School of Dentistry, and to stay on top of the latest in oral medicine, he is a member of both the Louisiana Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry.
If you have any questions about caring for your child’s oral health, he can be reached at his website or by phone at (318) 343-2633.