Accidents during childhood are common: scraped knees, scratches, and even fractures. As a parent, you can do your best to avoid them. But as the saying goes, kids will be kids. Dental fractures are another type of accident that can impact your child. However, they can be harder to identify, leading to several issues if you don’t look for a children’s dentist near you.

Whether it’s a hit to the face while playing sports or a sudden slip, various things can chip and even fracture your child’s teeth. By knowing what signs indicate fractures, you can immediately look for treatment.

What Are Dental Fractures?

Dental enamel is the hardest material in our bodies. It is designed to withstand the pressure of chewing, grinding, and breaking down food. However, enamel is not invincible.

A dental crack or fracture occurs when something causes a break in your tooth. While cracks can happen in any teeth, we often find them in the upper front teeth and the back of your lower jaw (mandibular molars).

The crack may be small enough that it’s barely noticeable, or the tooth may break into pieces or split. The latter is a badly cracked tooth requiring an immediate dental visit. However, even a small crack can cause a dent in the enamel where bacteria can more easily accumulate. Identifying and covering small cracks can protect your child’s smile in the long run.

Signs of Dental Fractures in Children

Fractured teeth can be a serious injury. A tooth crack allows bacteria to enter the tooth and infiltrate the pulp, resulting in an abscess. Besides being very painful, a tooth abscess may spread to the jawbone if left untreated, causing bone loss and widespread infection.

The first step to preventing these complications is to identify that a dental fracture has taken place. Here are some key signs to look out for:

• Sharp pain when they bite down.
• Sensitivity to temperature changes or eating sweet foods.
• Swelling around the tooth and on the jawbone.
• Toothache when biting or chewing.
• Bad breath.
• Swollen gums.
• Fever.
• Swollen lymph nodes.

Immediate Care Tips for Painful Dental Fractures in Children

Dental fractures are serious issues that call for a dental visit right away. However, it can be easy to panic and not know how to act when there’s bleeding, swelling, or visible damage to the tooth involved.

Being prepared for these situations can allow you to support your child through a stressful moment, help manage the pain, and even improve the chances of saving the tooth. These are the immediate things to do after a dental fracture:

1. Stay Calm and Reassure Your Child

First and foremost, remain calm. Avoid frightening your child with the tooth's appearance and speak softly. Your response can help your child feel calmer and less anxious.

2. Assess the Injury

Look at the injured tooth closely:

• Is it chipped, cracked, or broken in half?
• Is there bleeding from the tooth or gums?
• Is the tooth loose or displaced?
• Has the broken tooth punctured their tongue or cheek?

This information will help when you contact your dentist or emergency provider.

3. Control Bleeding

If bleeding from the gums or surrounding tissue occurs, have your child gently bite down on a clean gauze pad or cloth. Apply light pressure for 10–15 minutes. If the bleeding doesn’t subside by then, visit an emergency room immediately.

4. Reduce Pain and Swelling

Place an ice pack or cold compress wrapped in a cloth on the outside of the cheek close to the injury. This reduces pain and helps manage swelling.

You can also administer an age-appropriate dosage of ibuprofen or acetaminophen to children who are experiencing pain. Aspirin should be avoided, as it may worsen bleeding. Never place pain relievers directly on the gums or teeth, as this can cause chemical burns.

5. Preserve Broken Tooth Fragments

If you can find a piece of the tooth that has broken off, keep it moist. Place it in a small container with milk, saline solution, or your child’s saliva and bring it to the dentist immediately. If it's reattached within 30 minutes, it can be saved!

6. Keep the Area Clean

If the tooth is broken but not bleeding, gently rinse your child’s mouth with warm salt water to clean the area. Avoid brushing near the fractured tooth until a dentist evaluates it, as it could be painful for them.

7. Contact a Dentist Immediately

Call your child’s dentist or visit an emergency dental clinic right away. Even if the fracture seems minor, evaluating the tooth’s root, nerve, and surrounding tissue is essential.

Delaying care can increase the risk of infection or permanent damage, so don’t hesitate to contact us!

How to Prevent Dental Fractures in Children

As you can see, quick action after a dental fracture can potentially save your child’s tooth. However, preventing fractures from happening altogether can be much more beneficial to your child’s smile.

Some tips to prevent these types of issues include:

• Be Mindful of Food Choices: Hard foods like popcorn kernels, hard candies, nuts, or ice cubes can cause sudden dental fractures.
• Use Mouthguards During Sports: A custom-fitted mouthguard protects teeth from sudden hits, which is especially important for contact sports like football, basketball, hockey, soccer, and martial arts.
• Avoid Chewing Hard Objects: Children sometimes chew on things like ice, pencils, fingernails, or hard candy, which can weaken or crack enamel over time.
• Promote Good Oral Hygiene: Strong, healthy teeth are more fracture-resistant. Help your child maintain a solid oral hygiene routine by brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, and visiting the dentist every 6 months for a checkup.

Look for a Children’s Dentist Near Me and Restore Their Smile After Fractures!

Some dental fractures are big and noticeable, and others are more subtle. Still, they can become a place for bacteria to accumulate, cause decay, and even reach the most sensitive areas of your child’s smile.

By paying attention to these signs and visiting the dentist at Perfect Smile Doc, we can identify and treat fractures before they become a more serious issue. If you suspect that’s the case for your child, contact us today to schedule an appointment!