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Dental Trauma

Dental Trauma

Accidents are a part of life and dental accidents are all too common.

Dental trauma can affect the teeth, gums, and jaws due to accidents, falls, sports injuries, or other causes. These injuries can range from minor chips and cracks to more serious fractures, dislocations, and even complete tooth loss. Prompt treatment is crucial in managing dental trauma and preventing further damage or complications. Depending on the severity of the injury, treatment may involve simple measures such as applying ice or pain relief, or more complex procedures such as root canal therapy, dental implants, or orthodontic treatment. Seeking prompt attention is key in ensuring the best possible outcome for dental trauma patients.

Follow some of the tips below to ensure your next dental accident causes minimal stress.

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Managing Trauma

Baby (Deciduous) Teeth

If your child knocks out a ‘baby’ tooth, remain calm and follow the steps listed below:

  • Find the tooth, and hold it by the crown only, not the root.
  • If it is a baby tooth, do not reinsert back into the mouth. If you are unsure, place the tooth in milk or saliva to transport it to your dentist.
  • See your dentist straight away.

NOTE: The crown is the part of the tooth visible inside the mouth while the root anchors the tooth to the jawbone and is not normally visible. Depending on your child’s age, the baby tooth may not have much root structure remaining. This is because the root resorbs for the tooth to become loose before falling out.

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Adult (Permanent) Teeth

Remain calm and act quickly, ideally try to see your dentist within 30 minutes.

  • Find the tooth and hold it by the crown only, not the root surface.
  • If the tooth is dirty, rinse it in milk or tap water very briefly. Do not scrub it.
  • Place the tooth back in position inside the mouth.
    • Make sure it is facing the right way around
    • Gently bite down on soft cloth or tissue or use aluminium foil or your mouthguard to hold it in place.
  • If you can’t replant the tooth, transport it to your dentist in milk or saliva. Do not store in water.

NOTE: The crown is the part of the tooth visible inside the mouth while the root anchors the tooth to the jawbone and is not visible normally.

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Pro-Tips: Trauma

If possible, try to make a note of how the traumatic incident occurred; e.g. location, type of injury, direction of injury, bleeding, swelling etc.

Try to have the area assessed as soon as possible - quick action can result in a better long term outcome.

Trauma can also cause cracks, move teeth, push them into the gums or moved into a different position.

As most mouth trauma is caused by sporting injuries, a custom mouthguard is recommended for training and playing.

tooth trauma hawthorn

The information contained on this website is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek advice from a dental professional.

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