Please help! My toddler chipped a tooth!

[newmum35]

I am cross posting this in dental forum but thought Id get more advice here (am I allowed to do that?)

My son bumped his mouth playing on the slide today and chipped his front (top) tooth. He didn't even cry and I didn't know it was chipped right away. I at first thought he was going to cry but after like 2 seconds he stopped so I didn't think anything of it. He's certainly gotten worse bumps than that before.

Then 10 minutes later he mentioned something about getting a boo boo on his tooth and I had him open up and I looked and saw (to my horror) his beautiful perfect teeth now has one that appears the bottom 1/3 is missing at a slant. (maybe even just 1/4 of it. I'll get a better look tomorrow) ITs definitely a big "chip" .. I may try to get a photo tomorrow. He was able to eat just fine tonight (cheerios in milk), and I brushed his teeth as usual. He is 2 but will be 3 in 3 months. Has never seen a dentist!

SO I need your help! Is this a dental emergency? I'm afraid if I take him to be seen they are going to want to "treat" him right away with things that might not need to be done. My thoughts were to keep a close eye on it for the next few days (or few weeks) and then decide whether to take him in. I'm guessing that will depend on whether or not he complains about it hurting, and how it looks (whether any changes are occurring)

What will they want to do if I take him in? Has anyone been through this?


And some time ago I read several people posted where their kids had some cavities they were healing with some powder (a "pinch" few times a day) that would remineralize the tooth and cause the cavity to glaze over with a new layer of enamel in order to prevent the need for a filling.. Can someone please give me a link to where to learn more about this? The reason is I saw a tiny pin point of "red" in the back of his tooth when I looked up under it and I'm worried the chip could have actually extended down to the pulp of the tooth itself which contains the blood vessel! (why else would I see a red dot there?!) SO I'm hoping to get him started on this right away to see if it can heal over this area asap.

While I'm sad he will have the chip for the next few years (when does the baby tooth fall out?) I'm even more worried they might want to do something to him that isn't really necessary but they will say that it is. KWIM?

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

my ds now 4 has chipped his front tooth and has gotten it knocked loose 2-3 times, the first couple times we didn't treat it, but the last time it seemed pretty loose, so i took him to a dentist and they xrayed it which i should have not done, and then just wanted us to pull it out, which we didn't. It looked a little discolored but is now the color of his other teeth now. I don't think that they do much for chips unless you want to get it capped or pulled out. If it it pretty sharp they may file it a bit. Is the tooth still rooted well or is it pretty wiggly? the only thing the dentist said to us was that if it is really loose it is best to get it out at that age because a small child may choke on it. That was in december and my ds still has his tooth, it is a bit loose compared to the others, but not like it is barely hanging on and i let him eat lots of types of foods. I would say give it time to heal before letting him bite into apples etc. I am no dentist btw!

[USAmma]

My dd had the same thing happen with 1/3 of her top tooth. It became loose after that but never fell out. She was accident prone and bumped it several more times over the next few years. Finally it was pulled out when she was 5.

The first time it happened I took her to the dentist and he xrayed it to make sure there was no internal damage or that it had not broken off under the gum. I was told that if it started to swell or cause a lot of pain or if she developed a fever it might mean an abscess and would require surgery. That never happened.

If it makes you feel more comfortable, take him to the dentist.

[newmum35]

An update:

NO, the tooth is not wiggly at all, I have a photo here:


I have an appt set up in a few days to have it looked at. Because, I think it got chipped in the back down to the pulp or nerve. It hurts him when biting into cold things now. or if I brush behind the tooth. And I could see the red spot in the back of the tooth which I assumed was the pulp with the blood vessel in it. even though the front looks fine. It was red right after it happened, and the next day. Now it is pink and getting lighter every day. (referring to the tiny spot in back of the tooth not the entire tooth) I am not sure if that is because the pulp is dying or the tooth is healing over with white in that spot and I can't see it as easily anymore.

I wasn't sure whether this could possibly remineralize (he is still breastfeeding) or whether it better be filled in now by the dentist to prevent decay and so he can eat normally again and so I can continue to brush as usual.. I am assuming they will want to do something do it and my guess is a quick bonding or filling in back.. Just not 100% sure it wouldnt' have been ok (or even better off) if left alone.

That is why I posted to sort of know in advance.. But... we'll see what they say. It wont really make me feel better to go in I dont want to for several reasons, but I am thinking a filling back there might be necessary to save the tooth from further destruction. (No discoloration so far.)