Immediate help needed! How to prevent losing tooth?

[Latte Mama]

My 2 year old jumped off the couch while I was in the bathroom for less than a minute . I guess he landed wrong because he started screaming and as I am awkwardly trying to run out of the bathroom, he is coming in.

So his lip was bleeding a little, no biggie BUT when I opened his mouth to take a look, I saw one of his front teeth pushed back a bit!
I freaked. I am obsessive about my DS' teeth because mine are so crappy. I tried to move it and it wiggled back into place but now I am worried because it moved.

So do you think the tooth is doomed? Any chance on saving it? I'm nervous to touch it again. Should I be doing anything else? I am so upst over this, I know things could be a million times worse but my cute baby and his smile, sob...

[la mamita]

I would take him to a dentist. Most dentists have a phone number you can call in emergencies: at the very least, call and talk to your dentist and ask for his or her opinion.

I wouldn't be too concerned about his teeth in the long run--if the tooth has to come out, it's just a baby tooth. I would be more worried about doing nothing and then having the tooth fall out later while eating and possibly choking on it. Perhaps that is a long shot though!

[liliaceae]

Definitely call a dentist, or his pediatrician.

[LynnS6]

If it's a little loose, it'll probably stabilize itself in a few days. that happened with ds. If it's a lot loose, you probably need to see a dentist. The truth of the matter is, though, they won't do a lot to save a baby tooth.

[Mama Mko]

Yes, call the dentist.

[Mummoth]

This happened to my DD, except her tooth was hanging forward. We took her to the dentist, who pushed it back into place just like you described that you did. He told me to give her soft foods for a week or so, and Tylenol for the pain. We skipped brushing until the spot where her gum ripped was healed.

The dentist said there was nothing he could do to make the tooth stay in, that it might turn grey and that when the adult tooth eventually comes in, it may have a spot or dimple on it if the tooth bud got bumped. Her tooth DID turn grey for a while, and then turned white again. She lost that tooth when she was 5 and the adult tooth does have a white spot on it, but it's not super noticeable or anything.

I think I remember the dentist saying that sometimes they put braces on a knocked tooth for a few weeks to stabilize it (sort of like a cast for a broken bone) but it wasn't necessary in our case.

[ABO Mama]

My DS lost his at 2 yo, when he fell down the stairs. It was knocked clean out, and then the dog ate it, so there was no saving it! His adult tooth has a yellow spot on it, which he can choose to have covered when he is older (the tooth is on the bottom, so it doesn't show too much, and it doesn't bother him at 7yo).

[Latte Mama]

Originally Posted by LynnS6

If it's a little loose, it'll probably stabilize itself in a few days. that happened with ds. If it's a lot loose, you probably need to see a dentist. The truth of the matter is, though, they won't do a lot to save a baby tooth.

It seems to be just a little loose so I'm hopeful. I figured that the dentist really won't do much so not sure if going is worth it.

I gave him a couple of soft frozen fruit pops and some motrin and he's now napping. I'll keep him on soft foods for the next few days as well. I hope it does stabilize like your DS'.

[Cujobunny]

When my dd was 2 she chipped one tooth and smashed her four top front teeth so loose the dentist thought she'd have to have them pulled, apparently they can damage the adult teeth underneath. They did an x-ray though and the adult teeth buds were fine so we just left them, fed her soft foods (mostly smoothies!) for a week and they firmed back up on their own.

Kids teeth are amazingly resilient and they heal really quickly, but I would still get him into a dentist ASAP so they can make sure that's all that's going on.

If it does come out, it's no big deal- by the time they get to school & other people might notice, other kids are starting to lose their teeth anyway-the dentist did say you could get a bridge but why would you wan to. Also that the tooth could turn grey. Mostly just to watch for infection-redness, swelling, white bumps on the gums.

My ds went to school last year with a girl who had her two front teeth knocked out by her big brothers hockey stick and I didn't even notice that it was unusual for a 4 yr old to be missing teeth! I wouldn't have noticed until her mom noticed my dd's chipped tooth & told me her story.

[One_Girl]

Originally Posted by Latte Mama

It seems to be just a little loose so I'm hopeful. I figured that the dentist really won't do much so not sure if going is worth it.

I gave him a couple of soft frozen fruit pops and some motrin and he's now napping. I'll keep him on soft foods for the next few days as well. I hope it does stabilize like your DS'.

My dd's dentist had us come in for an x-ray to see if the tooth was damaged on the inside. If the tooth is knocked loose enough the nerves may die and need to be removed. A dying tooth hurts A LOT!! I think you should at least call the dentist and ask what to look for if you aren't willing to take him in yet.

[notneb]

Originally Posted by Latte Mama

It seems to be just a little loose so I'm hopeful. I figured that the dentist really won't do much so not sure if going is worth it.

I gave him a couple of soft frozen fruit pops and some motrin and he's now napping. I'll keep him on soft foods for the next few days as well. I hope it does stabilize like your DS'.

It's DEFINITELY worth taking him to the dentist, and sooner rather than later. Depending on what is going on with the tooth, the dentist can ease your mind and let you know everything is OK, provide treatment to help your DS keep the tooth, or extract it with minimal pain if it cannot be saved.

[confustication]

This happened to my dd when she was 3 or so- both front upper teeth were a little loose- enough to scare me a BUNCH, but they didn't fall out or die. The dentist wasn't concerned and they don't go to great lengths to save a damaged baby tooth here. In her case, they stabilized nicely- we did stick with softer foods for a while (until they tightened back normally- I think it was about a month.) Her adult teeth came in normally.

[Latte Mama]

Thank you mamas. This is all compounded by the fact that DS does not have a dentist yet, never been. I had been planning on getting one for him soon though so I will have to prioritize that.

Also, it seems as if my HR did not put him on my plan, only my medical so i will have to fix that asap.

This morning the tooth seems stable, I gently tried to wiggle and it didn't move so that is good. He is not complaining of pain now and slept well last night. I'll get him into a dentist to double check as soon as I get evrything straightened out but I think/hope this tooth will be fine.