Child Fell and Now Has Loose Teeth

Hi Kathy,
My daughter banged her front tooth really hard falling off of a picnic bench. It too was loose. It went from white to gray but never caused her any problems so we (her Pedi and I) decided to just keep an eye on it. That was 3 years a go. It is now loose just like the one next to it.

Putting my Pedi RN hat on, I do know that the biggest risk is that the tooth will develop an abcess. The symptoms of that would be pain and a tell tale pimple like blister on the gum directly over the injured tooth. If that happens she really needs to see a dentist.

If I can answer anything else please feel free to e-mail me!

D.

Pleas

Cathy,

My son did the same thing several months ago. We took him to a dentist right down the street that my mother-in-law used to work for, just to be safe. One of the biggest issues to consider is whether there's nerve damage. Now, my son's tooth didn't loosen when he fell, but we still took him to check it out. I think it cost us like $60 because he wasn't included on the dental plan either. The $60 included the x-ray to determine the damage. I'd be more than happy to get the dentist's info to you if you want to get it checked out. He's great with kids, and very quick.

Good luck!

A.

I've always been advised to see a dentist right away if a child has loose teeth after an injury/fall...even if they are only the baby teeth. I would definitely take her to the dentist right away. Most people don't realize that the health of the baby teeth will directly affect the long-term health of the permanent teeth. Hope this helps. Many Blessings to you and your daughter.

It's not unusual for the teeth to loosen after such a fall. They will sometimes tighten up on their own. If they seem straight and no damage that can be seen; you can give it some time. If you notice the teeth becoming discolored...turning gray, over time, then you'll need to take her to the dentist to see what they reccomend. As close as she is to the age of losing her teeth, naturally, they might decide to pull them (if they begin to discolor...which means the nerve has died...they will have to be pulled), and you might be able to get away with just leaving the space there. I've seen parents do it both ways. Some have had teeth bridged in the space until the permanent teeth begin to push the bridge out. Others have just left the spaces with no problem. The permanent teeth come through in time. The dentist can advise you as to which might be best....depending on the child's mouth and the spacing of the other teeth.

You'd probably be surprised at how many children this happens to. It's not at all unusual.

Good luck!

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