Sometimes, despite our best intentions, accidents happen. As all parents know, removing risk from kids’ lives is impossible! Even a risk-aware adult can fall victim to oral injury due to sports, weather-related issues, or pure bad luck. Proactive tactics go a long way towards reducing risk to you and your family.
Some of the most common causes of injury are in your own home! Learning how to identify and avoid potential hazards will help keep you and your family safe. Following these “dos” and “don’t” for oral injuries will help you avoid the most common mishaps, and it will help you respond quickly and efficiently if ever the need arises.
“Dos”
Stick to these guidelines to fend off accidents before they happen.
- Do Pad Sharp Edges – While this is a “must” for parents of toddlers, it is also worth considering in homes with elderly occupants, especially if they have balance or mobility issues.
Pad sharp corners and protruding edges. Make sure that kids’ play areas are relatively free of tripping hazards. Children between the ages of two and five are the most likely to suffer from oral injury since at this age falls commonly result in a head-first impact. Although bruises fade and bandaids work wonders, tooth damage can have a lasting effect.
- Do Wear a Mouthguard – Sports are a significant contributor to fractured jaws, lost and chipped teeth, and injuries to the lips and cheeks. A mouthguard can make a huge difference, drastically reducing the frequency of injuries. Mouthguards can be custom-made for an athlete’s mouth, guaranteeing a long-lasting, comfortable fit. Speak to your dentist to learn how to clean and store your mouthguard correctly after use.
- Do Install Slip-Proof Mats in the Bathroom – Falls in the shower can be traumatic, particularly for children and older adults. Even if a metal faucet is padded, steps should be taken to prevent slips in the first place.
Install slip-proof matting in bathtubs and adjacent to the sink or toilet. Falls in the shower can be attributed to dizziness caused by hunger or illness combined with the effects of heat and steam. Making your shower as safe as possible will help avoid severe ramifications if and when an issue arises.
“Don’ts”
Avoiding common mistakes will pay off in the long run!
- Don’t Walk with Items in Your Mouth – While this may seem obvious, this is a widespread cause of oral injury. A toothbrush, a pencil, or an eating utensil: any of these can damage teeth and gums if a person stumbles. Steel or glass water bottles are the source of many a chipped tooth, and should only be used when not in motion.
Children are especially prone to this kind of accident, due to their active nature. Parents need to remind young children not to run or walk with anything in their mouth. While these accidents can chip teeth, it can also lead to very severe injury to the mouth and throat area.
- Don’t Jump out of Bed At Night – Many nighttime falls can be attributed to dizziness resulting from a rapid change in blood pressure when an individual rises from sleep. Even a momentary loss of balance can result in a face-first fall and cause oral injuries.
Upon rising from sleep, get in the habit of sitting before standing up. Turning on the light can be another helpful preventative step, particularly for the elderly. If you have chronic, repetitive dizziness, be sure to discuss injury-prevention tactics with your doctor.
- Don’t Eat Hard Candy – Ice, olives pits, and popcorn kernels are all common causes of chipped teeth. However, candy is often the primary culprit in these instances. If hard candy is consumed, do not chew them. Parents should be particularly cautious during holidays like Halloween, when children may be tempted to eat some of their candy before coming home.
Responding After Injuries Occur
Many of us will not have faced an oral injury in the past, and we may be unsure of how to respond at the moment. Familiarize yourself with these simple steps, and you will be equipped to handle the situation with confidence.
“Dos”
Swift actions will decrease discomfort and reduce the chance of complications.
- Do Act Fast – This is particularly important in the event of a lost tooth. If your tooth (or that of your child) has been completely knocked out, a swift response increases the chance of saving it.
First, rinse your mouth gently with salt water to remove excess blood. Handle the tooth carefully and try not to touch the root. If the tooth is dirty, hold it by the upper part and rinse the tooth without scrubbing it and do not dry it. If possible, try to reinsert it into the socket. If more than one tooth has been lost, be sure to match the tooth to the corresponding socket. Bite down on a soft gauze pad to keep the tooth in position. If you are feeling dizzy as a result of your injury, seek assistance from a calm friend or family member.
- Do Stop the Bleeding – Use a moist, chilled compress to help stop the flow of blood. If a child has received an oral injury, a popsicle is a good soothing solution for bleeding and discomfort.
- Do Store Teeth in Milk or Your Own Saliva – If your tooth cannot be reinserted, use gauze and gentle pressure to control bleeding from the socket. Store the tooth (or tooth fragment) in a small container of milk; this will keep the tooth from drying out while you await care. If milk is unavailable, your saliva can be used in its place. You can also place the tooth between your cheek and gums to keep it from drying out.
- Do Investigate “Disappeared” Teeth – If a tooth is swallowed, do not worry. The tooth will eventually pass naturally. However, it is essential to see your dentist promptly, to determine whether a tooth could have been aspirated (drawn into the respiratory tract while taking a breath). A foreign-body aspiration can be serious — even life-threatening — if not treated immediately. X-rays will identify if a lost tooth is located within the body.
Aspiration of a tooth is most commonly linked to facial injuries, and it occurs more often in children and the elderly. While an adult may be aware if and when a tooth is aspirated, the strange sensation and the shock of the associated event may limit a child’s ability to state what has happened.
- Do See a Dentist Immediately – If a tooth is chipped, it is safe to wait until regular office hours to visit your dentist. Any tooth that has cracked in half constitutes a dental emergency and should be assessed as soon as possible. Missing teeth also necessitate prompt treatment, as do any injuries that cause extreme (or lasting) discomfort. If orthodontic treatment is required as a result of an injury, an early assessment could save time and money.
“Don’ts”
The first few minutes after an injury are crucial, affecting recovery prospects and stress levels for all involved.
- Don’t Panic – This is particularly important for parents since children will be affected by your reaction. Responding calmly and efficiently will help you make an accurate injury assessment, and the calming effect you have on your child will allow them to respond more quickly to treatment. Anyone who has tried to tend to a panicky child knows that, until nerves settle, first aid can be challenging to administer.
If you are injured and start to feel faint or nauseous, be sure to call for assistance. Do what you can to stop bleeding, then seek help from a professional.
- Don’t Ignore a Knocked-Out Tooth – If a baby tooth is lost prematurely due to an accident, some parents may be comforted to consider that it would have fallen out eventually. However, baby teeth are vital for speech development and fundamental eating techniques. If a tooth is lost before the adult tooth is ready to replace it, these natural processes can be disrupted, causing other teeth to shift. Your dentist will let you know about any advised treatment.
- Don’t Assume Any Damage will be Visible – Invisible root damage may only become apparent days or weeks after an impact. Cracks in your teeth are always a risk when an injury is sustained, not all cracks will be immediately obvious. If the damage is below the gum line, a root canal may be required. Visit your dentist promptly after a mishap, particularly if there is any lingering pain or swelling in the gum area.
While accidents happen, being prepared and proactive helps avoid injury, and it equips us to deal with them efficiently if they do occur. If you or a family member have suffered oral damage due to an accident, call Springdale Dental Centre at (905) 458-1212 for emergency dental service.
