Every Dentist Needs Your Help Keeping Your Teeth Healthy

Broken tooth repair is serious business – and not just for adults. Children typically begin to get their first 'adult' teeth between 6 and 7-years, according to the American Dental Association. If your child has a few permanent teeth, chipping one of them requires the same consideration that you'd give to your own smile. Between sports, play-times and simply being an active kid, children run the risk of an accidental mouth injury. What should you do if your child chips a tooth?

Call the Dentist

Make an immediate call to the dental pro. Broken tooth repair is necessary as soon as possible if you want to keep the problem from worsening, notes the American Association of Endodontists (AAE). Broken and chipped teeth don't happen on a 9 to 5 Monday through Friday schedule. If it's after-hours or a weekend, call your dentist's emergency or on-call service. Don't wait for the next business day.

Apply Pressure

If there's bleeding use a piece of wet gauze or a washcloth to stop the flow. Don't press hard enough to injure what's left of the tooth. Ask your child to bite down on the gauze to hold it in place, suggests the KidsHealth website.

Hold On to Broken Pieces

The dentist may want to see how much of the tooth has chipped off. Wrap the tooth piece up in a clean napkin or paper towel and take it with you to your child's appointment.

Ask About Cracks

A broken tooth doesn't always mean a chipped tooth. Teeth can crack, but still look like they're intact. Symptoms of a cracked toot include pain during eating or chewing and sensitivity to temperatures, according to the AAE. Given that these are also signs of other dental issues (such as cavities), talk to the dentist right away if your child experiences any pain or sensitivity.

Avoid Hard or Sharp Foods

If you suspect that your child has a mouth injury, chipped tooth or a crack, don't allow her to chomp down on anything that may make the situation worse. While it's tempting to fill her mouth with ice cubes, the shards may further aggravate the injured area. Foods such as popcorn (if there are unpopped kernels), hard candies and chewy candies may also make the issue more problematic.

Above all, calm down and relax. A tooth injury is physically painful for your child. It can also be mentally painful or stressful for you. Remember, your dental professional has the training and ability to fix mouth injuries. Even though the crack or chip looks bad, the dentist has an arsenal of treatments at his disposal to correct the problem and make your child feel better. Click here for more information on broken tooth repair.