It is always better to avoid a chipped baby tooth than to fix the tooth. Unfortunately accidents do happen, especially in children since they seem to have so much energy and no fear of such things. If the problem cannot be avoided it is best to know exactly what to do if the problem does occur. This means knowing what to do as a parent and teaching the child what to do as well. A family dentist will be able to provide significant information on this topic and even Child Dental Health Month can teach your kid quite a bit, just make sure you're both paying attention.
The first thing to do in the instance of a chipped baby tooth is make sure there are no other serious injuries. If there are, and they are serious to require emergency treatment, forget the dentist, call 911 immediately. If there are no other serious injuries then you can worry about the tooth. If the chipped tooth is serious, see if you can find the other piece of the tooth (this is harder than it sounds). Make sure your child knows to do this, it is much easier to find the missing piece immediately after the accident than to come back and find it later.
A child with a chipped baby tooth should see a dentist who can offer emergency dental care immediately. The sooner it is handled the easier it is to fix. Dental bonding can actually fix the tooth by replacing the part that broke off. The dentist can also look for fractures in the tooth that could have been caused by the accident. A fractured tooth should not be taken lightly. If the tooth is actually knocked out make sure to pick up the tooth by the crown, not by the roots. Rinse the tooth and place it in a container with milk and see a dentist immediately.
If are interested in learning more about what to do in the instance of a chipped baby tooth or if you are worried about your child's dental health, please consider visiting the Atlanta Dental Group PC. Our Atlanta dental team is one of the most experienced in Atlanta. Our dentists have over 20 years of experience serving Atlanta's dental needs. Our dentists are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being and you are more than welcome to join our family of patients. If you would like schedule an appointment with our Atlanta family dentist feel free to call us at 404-874-7428.