Dental trauma in children: how to react?

If your child breaks a tooth, moves it, or has it knocked out, an emergency visit to the dentist is mandatory, but it is the first steps that count and will seal the future of the tooth.

Nutrident draws up an inventory of the damage and advises you on the first aid measures to take.

Milk tooth or permanent tooth, same fight

If your child is still small when this happens, you should do everything you can to save the tooth, even if it is a baby tooth.

A broken baby tooth will make it difficult for him to eat, or even cause injury. If it is expelled prematurely and the permanent tooth underneath is not ready to come out, the other teeth will shift and cause a disorder in the dentition and an asymmetric shift.

So, baby tooth or permanent tooth, the procedure is the same.

In case of a dislocated tooth

When a tooth is displaced in its socket, it is said to be luxated. The dentist will make every effort to place the tooth back into its socket and use a bandage as a restraint system while the tissues heal.

You will need to have regular check-ups to ensure that the wound is healing and that there is no infection.

In case of a broken tooth

If your child breaks a tooth, your first job is to find the fragment and store it in a glass of milk, in saline, or, if your child is old enough and not too traumatized, under his or her tongue, so that it is bathed in saliva.

You can rinse the piece of tooth by running it under water, but don't rub it if there is tissue attached to it.

The dentist will advise whether or not it is possible to repair the tooth with resin. If the X-ray shows that the lesions are too deep, he will devitalize the tooth.

In case of expelled tooth

The most urgent case is the expelled tooth. You have one hour to ensure that his re-implantation has a chance to succeed. Proceed as with the broken tooth to preserve it.

If the dentist can replace it in time, he or she will install a retainer system attached to the adjacent teeth, using wire or a splint to hold it together.

It is rare that an expelled baby tooth is re-implanted, because the operation could interfere with the development of the germ of the permanent tooth. In this case, the dentist can develop a brace that maintains the space between the teeth until the final tooth grows in.

In case of tooth intrusion

Sometimes the tooth is partially or totally embedded in the bone as a result of the impact. Depending on the x-ray, the dentist will decide to extract it, which is often the case if it is a baby tooth. He will then place a prosthesis as for the expelled tooth.

If the intrusion is minimal, it will be necessary to monitor that the tooth returns to its place naturally. If he or she can, the dentist will try to pull it back into place.

If the tooth is completely embedded in the bone, the dentist – or other specialized practitioner – will need to use braces to bring the tooth out.

Dental trauma in children : FAQ

Is it serious to have a broken tooth?

It is essential to make an emergency appointment with your dentist as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours of the breakage, dislodgement or fall of your tooth to avoid complications.

What to do when our child breaks a tooth?

The first thing to do is to recover the piece of tooth, which can be reattached if necessary. Ideally, it should be immersed in a sterile saline solution available in pharmacies or in a special dental first aid box.

Should I inform my insurance company if I have a dental injury?

Once you have made your dental appointment, you should also consider filing an accident report with your insurance company. Indeed, a shock or a trauma on a baby tooth can have consequences later on, which can appear around the age of 8-9 years. Also, to be sure that the care is covered and to be reimbursed in case of complications in the following years, it is better to send the documents in time.