Summer Season and Traumatic Tooth Loss

It is almost summertime! Hard to believe with the long and cold winter we had in Atlanta this year! Summer means time to relax, go to the beach or lake, enjoy warmer weather and hang out with your family and friends. It is also a great time to enjoy some quality time with your children while they are out of school. Unfortunately, summer also means an increased number of dental traumas, especially among children. During the summer months, kids are more likely to play outside and to engage in activities that involve more physical contact. This includes climbing trees, swimming in pools, playing sports and roughhousing in general. While all this activity is great for their development and physical fitness, it also leaves them more at risk for dental traumas and traumatic tooth loss.

One way to cut down on the risk of dental traumas is to make sure that your child wears a protective mouth guard while participating in contact sports. You can buy mouth guards at any sporting goods store, or you can purchase a custom-fitted mouth guard from your dentist. A custom-fitted mouth guard is made especially to fit your child’s mouth and can be more effective in protecting their teeth from traumas and injuries.

So, what can you do to cut down on the risk of losing a tooth due to a traumatic injury this summer? If a tooth is broken, find the missing piece and go immediately to the dentist. This is especially important if the tooth appears to be bleeding from the middle and not just at the gum line. If a tooth is knocked out, it is important to put it immediately back into place, then get to a dental office immediately. If a tooth can be placed back into the mouth within a half-hour of the injury, a full recovery is much more likely. If a tooth is knocked out and cannot be put back into the mouth, place it in milk and go straight to the dentist. Avoid touching the root of the tooth and do not clean it beyond rinsing it gently under water.

If you do lose a tooth or multiple teeth due to a dental trauma, there are a variety of options available to replace them. One option is dental implants. Unlike other tooth replacement solutions, dental implants provide a fixed, long-term solution that looks, feels and functions like natural teeth.

Hopefully, you will not have to deal with any dental traumas this summer! We wish you a safe and healthy summer season.