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Traumas - chips,breaks,cracks,bleeding, etc

9K views 54 replies 26 participants last post by  simonee 
#1 ·
My DS (28 months) was playing on the back part of the couch and he fell off face first (I know!) onto the hardwood floor. I was really scared when I picked him up and found blood coming out of his mouth. He nursed until he calmed down and let me see his teeth, which are complete and not loose, I think. but his gums, just above his middle tooth, was bleeding. That happened last night and today it was much better, but it (the gum) started to bleed again today when he was eating a rice cake. I don't think his tooth hurts because he can chew but I'm concerned about his gums getting bacteria if they don't heal soon. Should I take him to a dentist? Is there something that I should/could give him that will keep his mouth bacteria-free? Any advice will be much appreciated!
 
#27 ·
My daughter had the same exact thing happen. She actually knocked it loose as well, and eventually it tightened up and down almost to where it had been. I asked the dentist about repurcussions with permanent teeth, and he said that occasionally it will hit the permanent tooth underneath, but because she is so young he didn't think it was an issue. I wouldn't bother with an oral surgeon.
 
#31 ·
Smilemomma,

we must be on line at the same time..


His dob is 29 May 99 so he's 3 and about 3 months.

It's just so hard for me. He chipped a front tooth at 13 months-the same tooth I knocked out when I was three. And now the tooth beside it is pointing back, some.

And now he can't take bottles. That was how I kept him hydrated. I've tried every kind of cup imaginable and he just doesn't drink! I am so worried about him becoming constipated. With potty training that would be a disaster!
 
#32 ·
Yes, we must be! And duh on the age thing, it's right there in your title. I don't usually pay too much attention to titles, and it wasn't in your post ... duh, duh, duh. It's nearly 3 am, after all!

Don't beat yourself up, Lorene. Children lead with their teeth, it happens all the time, believe me. I fell down a flight of stairs once *while my mother was holding my hand!* It's just over in a flash. My own dd has chipped her teeth so many times I've lost count. I just smooth 'em up, and on she goes.

As for the hydration, have you tried a squirt bottle? My guys love the pop-up sports bottle tops, and also really love to use a spray bottle to squirt water in their mouths. They'll get a lot that way!

HTH!
 
#34 ·
Ds has something odd happening with his four top front teeth. They appear to be losing enamel (they look off color in places) and one of the very front teeth seems to be graying from the inside. He has hit them a number of times, so I'm thinking perhaps the graying is from internal bleeding? We took him to a dentist who pressed around in there and said that they appear to be very solid still and were nothing to worry about so long as we continued to take care of them. They are not causing him any pain, fortunately. Still, it seems strange to me that this would be happening at all. Does anyone know why it would happen? Neither dh nor I have ever had any dental problems, so this is very new territory for us.

Thanks


Dragonfly
 
#35 ·
Smilemomma,

Thanks so much for your response!

Out of curiosity, what can be done about the color? He's only two, so I'm not so concerned now (though I hate to see a grey tooth in that *beautiful* smile), but I'm thinking that when he's a little older, it would really stink for him to be the kid with the funky teeth....

Thanks again!
Dragonfly
 
#36 ·
Dragonfly, of course I know how you feel about that pearly smile!

Since these are his baby teeth, they'll be gone in 4 years or so anyway. But in the meantime, the dentist can put a bonded covering over the fronts to lighten them up some, if he'll sit for it


You are so, so welcome!

 
#37 ·
Hi~
I'm Meagan, mama to Sophie Elise (12/17/01) and loving soulmate to Jimmy. We're an AP family (bf, co-sleep, cloth diapering, etc).

I have concerns about my dd's teeth (she now has 8!). I once noticed a small, what appeared to be a chip on one of her lower, middle teeth. Then again, a chip on one of her top middle teeth. They don't seem to cause her pain and I never know when they happen (ie it isn't a HUGE deal). I'm concerned about this. At first, the top one was sharp, but it's no anymore. Do we have a serious problem?

Please advise (smilemama?)
Thanks!
Meagan
 
#38 ·
Most likely, they chipped when she fell. She doesn't even have to fall very hard for that, because they likely chip because they hit against the tooth on the other side.

Small chips are not a problem, I think, because they affect only the outer layer of the tooth (the enamel). And the chips get smooth from "daily wear," so that's also a normal process.

As far as I know, fluoride is a very good strengthener for teeth, and smilemomma always recommends brushing the teeth with a good fluoride toothpaste such as Tom's of Maine.

Oh, another thing: do you remember how friggin sharp
those first teeth were? The edge is very thin (that's why I called my dd Ms. Razormouth for a while
), and it also wears with time. Are the chips just in those edges? That wouldn't even indicate a fall, they would just be wearing smooth. In that case the chips would be teeny tiny.

But either way, as long as they only happen at the edges, I don't think you have to worry too much. Keep checking the edge though, so you will see the discoloration that would go with decay if that happens.
 
#40 ·
Tonight my friend's 5 yo daughter, Hannah, who has autism, was chewing on a washcloth & got a string from it caught around her 2 middle bottom teeth. She pulled on it to get it loose & literally yanked the teeth out by the roots.

Could you tell me what her best course of action would be? If Hannah has dental work done she absolutely would have to be sedated. Is it true that if a baby tooth comes out with the root attached, the permanent tooth will not grow in properly, or at all??

Thank you so much for any advice; I always like to read your gentle approach to children. You are an asset to the board!

Love, Jenny
 
#43 ·
I'm not smilemomma, just another dentist who mostly lurks around these boards


Tell her not to worry at all. Even when the front teeth are lost a little early, it really shouldn't make a difference in the way the permanent teeth come in(not a promise that they'll be straight b/c those 2 teeth often don't come in perfectly straight). And they were likely starting to get loose at the very least if they came out like that. She'll be fine. In a case like this I wouldn't likely do any kind of treatment if she came in, but I would take a look if the mom was worried.

She should go ahead and find herself a dentist (probably pediatric) for regular check ups though. We saw a lot of autistic children in my residency. Some of them needed to be sedated, but some of them did just fine (at least for regular check-ups and cleanings)...it just has to be a person the child can really trust. The pediatric dds I worked with then was particularly AMAZING with autistic children.
 
#44 ·
Hi, thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

SomedayMom, she took Hannah to her family's dentist, he is really good with her son who has a sensitive gag reflex & he was good with Hannah too. She will be fine.

Smilemomma thank you. Her teeth still had the roots attached, so they would not have been loose yet, right? I have NO doubt that she could pull out firmly rooted teeth- she is UNbelievably strong!

Her mom was very calm dealing with Hannah, etc. but then lost it after Hannah fell asleep. Her adrenaline was pumping, & she literally was exhausted for two days after.

Thank you both for your advice & kind words- i passed tehm on to hannahsmom!!

Love, Jenny
 
#45 ·
I posting this here in hopes that it will help someone else someday, and possibliy myself too


I broke my tooth this morning, about 1/4 of a molar, at the gumline. It doesn't hurt, although it did hurt a bit last night... and I think I clenched my teeth very tight last night while I slept (dd would *not sleep* and when she finally did after several hours I dreamt about her *not * sleeping ! grr!) When I got up this morning it broke off in my first bite of cheerios.

Today is sunday and I called the dentist on call at my regular dentist and they didn't call back. I really just wanted to find out what to do until I can get in, how to best keep it clean, anything I should watch for.

And what would the criteria be for calling a dentist on their day off ? Severe pain ?

I am afraid that more could break off, so I am just being very careful. I am also feeling much anxiety... I hate dental problems !

Any help ? Advice ? Share my misery ?
 
#46 ·
Hi
My dd chipped her front tooth today she had already chipped the other one and now this one even more. They had a brown line at the gum which I took her to the dentist and he said they were fine just discolouration. But now I am worried she will need dental work. Also why are her teeth so weak. I am all stressed about this. We live in a very small town and I would not trust any dentist to work on her teeth. anyone got any suggestions?

It does not seem to bother her just looks bad .
 
#47 ·
My twenty month old went to do a "gotcha squeal" to his older brother sitting on the floor and somehow bounced his mouth off the older one's noggin.

One of his teeth chipped right off so near the gumline.

He also has a line of discolouration across the top of his teeth not quite brown yet though.

When my older son chipped a couple of teeth chewing rocks provided by someone who knew better but wouldn't listen to me, while we were on holidays, I had to give him beef jerkey to gnaw on in order to take care of some of the jagged edges. I was still breastfeeding him.


We took that one in for a consultation and the dentist recommended we do nothing as he said the cost wasn't worth putting the boy thru that since they are baby teeth.

Supposedly the adult teeth should be fine since weak baby teeth are not reflective of the second set. At least this was what we were told.

Thankfully the breastmilk remineralized the parts of the teeth that had exposed nerves. So now he just has jagged front teeth.
 
#48 ·
As you can plainly see from my post I don't know much about teeth. :LOL
My little guy did repeatedly tell me that the tooth was hurting so I guess I had assumed that a nerve was involved...? It no longer hurts so I again assumed that it was the breastmilk that had sealed the edges.

I always thought our dentist's advice was kinda funny about not having the work done. I tried to push it. He seems to be really good with all kinds of kids. I couldn't understand why he said they wouldn't bother with those chipped ones. Now he's going on five. When do we expect adult teeth?
 
#49 ·
Thanks smilemomma ! You are right... mostly I just freak out when somethng like this happens... feel anxiety, etc.

I went yesterday and sat in the waiting room for 5 hours till there was a no-show and they saw me. Actually it wasn't a no show, they just got tired of waiting more than an hour for their appointment and left.

I have state health insurance (for the poor folk
) and it is the state's dentists - a large office with 5 dentists, a denturist, and more. I would call and complain how they never called me back but I wouldn't know where to start; all the people there are so tied up in red tape it's a wonder anything gets done.

Right now I am just so glad they fixed up my tooth
It just needed a rather large filling. It had a root canal years ago, so there was no pain, except a bit at the gumline.

Thanks again smilemomma... and I really hope this thread helps someone else someday too... Now when you plug in "broken tooth" in the forum search it will come back with something
 
#50 ·
Thanks so much for the replies I plan to take her to the dentist in the new year. This hick town is so small it has no pediatric dentist. If it was summer I would just travel to where I use to live and get a pediatric dentist to check it out. Anyway thanks so much for the replies.
 
#51 ·
AARRGGHHHH!!!


MY EFFIN' TOOTH BROKE AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!

The filling just popped out !! @$#&%%#$ !!!!!!!

And with the weekend and the holiday it might be a week before I get in again


AT least I have Smilemomma's kind words and wisdom, so I will not panic, or let it ruin my New Years. It will be alright.

UGH.

I will count my blessings, ,especially that the nerve is blissfully gone in this tooth so there's no pain (previous root canal).
 
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