Tips to Save a Tooth That is Knocked Out

Once you turn your child's oral care over to them, you want to make sure you keep a close eye on their teeth to make sure they are keeping them in good shape. Here are some of the things you want to check on to make sure you don't accidentally miss something that can lead to your child suddenly developing cavities and other dental issues once they take over their own oral care:

Check the color of their teeth

You want to make sure you keep an eye on the color of your child's teeth. If they are a nice and white color, they should stay close to that color. If they have always had a tinge of yellow, then you just want to make sure they don't get darker than that. If their teeth are getting stained then you should go back to watching them brush their teeth again. Make sure they are using the right amount of toothpaste and that they are brushing them for at least three minutes. To show them what three minutes is, you can have them brush their teeth for the duration of a three-minute song.

Check the condition of their teeth

Look at each of their teeth for any signs that there may be a problem. If you notice that they have teeth that appear to be wearing where the points aren't as pointy as they should be, they may be grinding them. If this is the case, you want to get them into the dentist and also listen to them sleep at night to verify if this is what is happening. If you see dark spots or holes, then they should also go to the dentist because it's likely they have cavities that now need to be filled.

Check the color of their gums

Although gum disease is usually something seen in older people or someone with other health issues, kids can get it too if they aren't taking proper care of their teeth. If you notice their gums are brighter in color than normal or they look inflamed, get them in for a pediatric dental exam. Another thing that can cause gum irritation is a piece of food stuck down in the gum that needs to be removed.

Check the surface of their tongue

Your child's tongue should look clean and pink. If their tongue is white then you want to go over tongue scraping with them again to make sure they are removing all of that plaque and bacteria off of it.