Tooth trauma in children is the most important damage to teeth after tooth decay. One of the saddest situations for children and their families is the breakage, dislocation or displacement of a child's tooth due to trauma.
When dental traumas in children are examined, although many accidents happen to toddlers, 7- It is observed that the teeth of school-aged children between the ages of 10 and 10 are more prone to damage due to trauma. While dental trauma is encountered at almost the same rate in boys and girls during the primary dentition period; School-age boys are more likely to experience trauma than girls. In order to be protected from the possible harm of dental trauma, regardless of the type and size of the trauma, if there is no problem with the general health condition such as loss of consciousness, bleeding, loss of balance, headache, vomiting, nausea, speech difficulties, etc., it is necessary to take it to a dentist as soon as possible. .
The most important points in protecting against damage caused by dental traumas, especially those resulting in tooth fractures and tooth dislocation, are the time between the occurrence of the trauma and the application to the dentist and the way the tooth or broken piece is brought. In addition, it is of great importance to be as calm as possible and to accurately inform the dentist about the child's general health condition and the place where the trauma occurred.
Loss of consciousness, bleeding, loss of balance, headache, vomiting, nausea, speech difficulties are general. They constitute key points in assessing health. At this point, exactly when, where and how the accident occurred, medical history and vaccination status (tetanus) are important.
The damages caused by dental trauma and what needs to be done after the trauma vary depending on the developmental period of children. For this reason, it is necessary to handle dental trauma in children according to their age and developmental period:
During the primary dentition period, not only the milk teeth in the mouth are damaged due to trauma; Permanent tooth germs developing within the jawbone can also suffer serious damage. Unfortunately permanent tooth germind The harmful effects occur years later when the teeth erupt. The most common form of trauma during this period is the complete dislocation of the teeth or the sinking of the tooth or teeth into the jawbone. What needs to be done in such a situation is to remain calm and first determine what happened to the tooth. Because the dislodged tooth may still be in the mouth and if care is not taken, the child may swallow the tooth. Milk teeth that are displaced due to trauma are not placed back in place. In these cases, the reason why the tooth is not replaced is to avoid damaging the underlying permanent tooth germ. Sometimes, as a result of trauma, teeth may become embedded in the bone and teeth may not be visible in the mouth. In this case, families think that the tooth has fallen out but they cannot find the tooth. In such a case, no intervention is made to the tooth, and in both cases, the child is immediately taken to the dentist. After any kind of trauma, whether simple or major, to the primary teeth, if the child has habits such as sucking a pacifier, using a bottle or sucking a finger, it must be stopped. Because these habits also have micro-trauma effects on teeth. This will negatively affect the healing of the teeth.
In the permanent dentition, crown and/or root fractures of the teeth are more frequently encountered, unlike in the primary dentition. The time between trauma and application to the dentist is the primary reason affecting the success of the treatment. If the tooth is broken and the broken piece is found, it is necessary to immediately put the broken piece in milk and consult a dentist as soon as possible (within 1 hour). Another situation encountered in permanent teeth due to trauma is the complete dislocation of the tooth. In such a case, the tooth is placed back in place. However, in order for the replaced tooth to remain in the mouth successfully and healthily, the child must be brought to the dentist correctly. The best environment for dislodged teeth is to place the tooth back in its place immediately at the scene of the accident. However, doing this in the shock and excitement of the accident may not be easy for parents or teachers or other people at the scene of the accident. The second most suitable medium is saliva. Tooth cheek during transfer It can be placed inside, but this may not be easy for a very scared and crying child. For this, as the third option, it must be delivered to the dentist in milk.
If the tooth has fallen to the ground, the dislodged tooth must be found. The found tooth should be held by its crown part. By holding the tooth from its root, the tissues there should not be damaged further. If the tissues at the root of the tooth are damaged too much, it will not be possible for the tooth to hold on to its socket. Foreign materials on the tooth held by the crown should be washed under running water. While cleaning the tooth surface, scrubbing should not be done and a brush should never be used. First, try to place the tooth in its socket. If the tooth can be placed in its socket, a clean gauze should be placed on it and the tooth should be bitten to keep it fixed in place. In this way, a dentist should be consulted as soon as possible.
DUTIES OF THE FAMILY TO PREVENT DENTAL TRAUMA IN CHILDREN
If your child is interested in sports, his teeth must be protected with specially prepared mouthguards during sports. It is of great importance to use these dental protectors, especially in sports that require contact such as basketball, volleyball or football, or in sports with a risk of falling such as skating, gymnastics, skiing, etc. These mouthguards not only protect the teeth, but also the lips, cheeks and tongue from the harmful effects of trauma.
Some children do not only need to do sports to use a protective mouthguard. We recommend that children, especially those whose upper teeth are positioned forward and who are popularly called slightly toothy, wear these protective mouthguards during physical education classes or while playing in the garden with their friends, even if they do not do sports regularly and continuously. Because the front teeth of these children are at twice the risk of trauma compared to other children. Eating hard foods such as popcorn, hard candy and ice, or soda caps etc. Trying to open the lid may also cause tooth fractures. For this reason, the most important duty of parents in protecting children from dental trauma is to try to take the necessary precautions against the risks of dental trauma that may occur.
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