When your child suffers an oral injury, it is not unusual to be panicked. However, in order to ensure that the damage is not permanent, you would need to stay calm and handle the situation before you rush your child to see an emergency dentist. The measures you take during that period of time before they can see a dentist could make the difference between complete healing or your child having to live with undue side effects. Here are some tips that could come in handy during an emergency dental situation before you get a chance to see a dentist.

Tips for handling a missing tooth

A tooth will typically fall off due to trauma to the mouth. If your child has lost one of their baby teeth due to impact to their face, it is not necessary to save the tooth. This is because baby teeth are typically not implanted back as they could affect the growth of the incumbent permanent tooth. Instead, you should rinse your child's mouth with a salt-water solution so as to remove any blood or pieces of the tooth that may have remained in the mouth. This should then be followed with an immediate visit to the dentist's.

If your child has lost a permanent tooth, then time would be of the essence. The first thing you should do is have your child rinse their mouth so that you can have a clear view of the tooth's socket. You should then try to insert the dislodged permanent tooth back into the socket. Have your child hold their tooth in place with some tissue paper as you make your way to the dentist. This increases the chances of successful implantation as the nerves will not die. If your child is too injured to keep their tooth in place, put the dislodged tooth into a container filled with cold milk as you make your way to the dentist. The dentist would then have to evaluate the damage to the living cells to determine whether implantation would be a feasible course of action.

Tips for handling a fractured jaw

If your child's jaw becomes fractured due to impact, it is prudent to seek emergency dental care as soon as possible. As you wait to see the dentist, ensure that your child rinses their mouth so as to eliminate any blood. Once this is done, ensure that your child stays still in a reclined position with an icepack to their jaw. They should not talk or move as this could aggravate the damage to the fractured jaw.