It’s My Tooth
Whether it happens naturally or by accident, losing a tooth can be a bit scary or surprising. Here are some causes and remedies to get over life challenges.
Adventures
Adventures in childhood could cause some serious havoc on teeth. Whether as toddlers, learning to crawl, walk or run, there is the potential to lose a tooth. With school-age children, injuries could come from learning a sport.
Advice
According to Dr. Martin Davis, a previous chair of Pediatric dentistry at Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery in New York, one quarter of all children by the age of 16 have some of dental trauma. At the annual meeting of the Academy of General Dentist, Davis said to Tooth-Proof your home by putting away furniture with sharp corners and edges. If a child is in a walker, make sure gates are sturdy and fastened at top of stair.
The Knock Out Remedy
Even in the most protected environment accidents are sometimes unavoidable and a permanent tooth could be knocked out. If this happens put the tooth back in its socket and hold in place with tissue or handkerchief until you get to the dentist. You can also place tooth in cold milk which has the concentration as blood. The cold milk will slow down the dying of the cells.
The Mouthguard
Dr. Davis also says mouthguards should be required in recreation and competitive sports. However the only sport that they are required is in football and boxing. He mentions that it not only protects teeth, they absorb chin shock and protect the brain. Mouthguards are sold in stores but they are not customized. If you go to your general dentists you can have them customize and personalize with child’s favorite color or stars. This ranges from $200 to $600.
Dr. Howard Glazer, a previous president of American Academy of General Dentistry agrees with Dr. Davis that mouthguard are important not only for contact sports but in noncontact sport that people may not think have potential for injury.
Original article: WebMD Health News: Look, Ma, no Teeth
