Your Baby’s Chipped Tooth

As your baby scrambles around like a little monkey around the house, it is possible that he or she will fall and chip a tooth. Babies have delicate milk teeth that can easily break or chip. However, since these are only “milk” or baby teeth, it’s not cause for major concern.

In case of an emergency, a dentist should determine whether a nerve has been damaged or a major injury has occurred that requires expert medical treatment.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts to help you deal with chipped teeth:

Do’s:

• Consult a dentist: Sometimes your baby may not feel pain but you need to make sure that there is no hidden injury and the dentist will help you determine this.
• Check if your baby experiences prolonged pain: If it’s just a chipped tooth, the pain will not last beyond a few hours.
• If your baby’s gum bleeds after a fall, apply a clean, wet cloth to the gum until bleeding stops.
• Check for unusual symptoms in your baby such as mild fever and swelling of gums.   

• Give your baby cold foods to chew on, or a teething ring—this will help soothe some of the pain your baby may be experiencing.

Don’ts:

• Do not wait for more than a week after your baby has chipped a tooth to go to a dentist.
• Do not allow your baby to eat hot food and liquids if there is swelling of gums or pain.
• Keep hard and sharp-edged toys away from your baby until the tooth is healthy and strong again.

Disclaimer: The above information is commonsense reflection drawn from general experience. If you are looking for expert medical advice, please consult your doctor.