Your Child Chipped A Baby Tooth. Now What?

Young children have a lot of energy. They burn it off by running around, climbing on things and being physically high-spirited. That’s why chipping a primary tooth—particularly a front tooth—is not out of the ordinary. Unless your child is in pain, don’t panic.

Everyone at the office of Ridgewood Valley Pediatric Dentistry is enthusiastic about treating your child’s oral health. It’s as important to us as it is to you and your youngster. In addition to our first-class, comprehensive dental care, we have a welcoming, patient-focused environment in which each patient and his or her parents will feel at ease.

Whatever the tooth’s condition, however, bring your child to a pedodontist for an examination as soon as possible. There may be unseen damage that needs to be addressed right away. It could cause discomfort or pain when your child chews on it or if she (or he) consumes very hot or cold food and beverages. 

Here’s the standard operating procedure if your child has chipped a baby tooth. 

Remain unruffled, and calm your child if she’s upset about it. Don’t give her reason to feel self-conscious about it, even if the chip is in plain sight. 

Inspect the tooth for blood, and check if it’s making your child wince or cry. 

When you call the pediatric dentist, explain the circumstances and comply with any instructions he (or she) may give until it’s time for your appointment. Those instructions will likely include rinsing your child’s mouth with lukewarm water and, to reduce possible swelling, apply a cold compress to her cheek. If your child is finding it hard to breathe, rush her to an emergency room to see if she inhaled any fragments of the chipped tooth. If the tooth continues to be painful, give her the recommended amount of children’s ibuprofen. Monitor the tooth’s surrounding gum tissue to monitor for infection. 

A chipped tooth isn’t fun for you or your child, but having a plan of action in place will make both of you feel better. The office of Ridgewood Valley Pediatric Dentistry has leading-edge equipment that will give us an overall view of every aspect of your child’s mouth and teeth. We set up all of our patients for a lifetime of excellent oral health. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for an appointment.