Overview

A tooth can be chipped, broken, or knocked out during sports or a bad fall.

The doctor may have fixed your child's tooth temporarily. Your child also may have been given pain medicine. If there were signs of infection, your child may need to take antibiotics.

Your child will need to see a dentist. If your child has chipped a tooth, it may be jagged, which can irritate the mouth and tongue. The dentist may smooth the edges and fill in the part that chipped off. A permanent tooth that has been knocked out can be put back in (reimplanted) if it is done quickly. The dentist may need to put a crown on a broken tooth to cover the tooth and hold it together. Prompt dental treatment can often prevent infection in the tooth.

How can you care for your child at home?

• If the tooth pulp is exposed, you can protect it by putting temporary filling material over the broken area. You can buy temporary filling mixes in drugstores. Follow the directions on the label.
• To relieve pain and swelling, have your child put ice or a cold cloth on the tooth's gum or cheek area, or suck on a piece of ice. But if the tooth's nerve or pulp is exposed, avoid putting anything too hot or cold near the tooth until your child sees the dentist.
• Give pain medicines exactly as directed.
  • If the doctor gave your child a prescription medicine for pain, give it as prescribed.
  • If your child is not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask the doctor if your child can take an over-the-counter medicine.
• If the doctor prescribed antibiotics, give them to your child as directed. Do not stop giving them just because your child feels better. Your child needs to take the full course of antibiotics.
• To help healing, have your child rinse with warm salt water right after meals. To make a saltwater solution, mix 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of salt in 1 cup (250 mL) of warm water.
• Have your child eat soft foods that are easy to chew.
• Avoid foods that might sting, such as salty or spicy foods, citrus fruits, and tomatoes.

• If the tooth is loose, have your child be gentle when brushing or flossing. Have your child gently brush at least two times a day and floss at least once a day.