Ask a Health Professional Each week health professionals give their educated opinions on relatable health questions. We believe that knowledge is powerl 2012 10th Street 906-352-4100 www.lacannefamilydental.com LoCanne Dr. Tracy La Canne, DDS FANTLYOENTAL Question: We are getting into baseball/soccer season, and I'm worried about what to do if my child were to get a ball to the face. Any suggestions? First and foremost, like different storage mediums to keep the tooth in if you don't feel comfortable to try and putting it back in yourself. The best is a problem "Save-a-Tooth', which contains a salt before it happens. So, solution to help keep the tooth safe. Next best optionsare either milk orthe person's own saliva. Water is the very last resort. There have been multiple studies that show if a tooth is left out of the mouth for over an hour, the likely-hood of it being able to be saved is greatly reduced. everything in dentistry we want PREVENT getting your child a mouthguard to wear is definitely beneficial. Unless they have all of their adult teeth (age 12 and older usually) it's easier to just buy an over-the- counter sports guard because it will most likely only be used for one season. Then they'll lose a few teeth and you will need to make a new one. If they do have all of position, which again, getting it put their adult teeth, getting one fabricated at your dentist office is a good option. They tend to be smaller and more comfortable than the OTC ones. Other preventative measures that most teams take now are Depending on the size of the chip the face shields on helmets, which is a great A tooth can get pushed into a different back in the proper position ASAP is important. A tooth can also chip or break. treatment could range from a filling to a root canal, a crown or even eventual addition. removal of the tooth. If your child is unfortunately hit with a ball or a bat it's important to see your dentist ASAP. Obviously, if there is soft tissue damage-a cut lip, check, etc.-you may need to be seen at the ER or urgent care first to get stitches. The biggest thing to remember is no matter how small the trauma may seem; you should always get it looked at by a dentist ASAP and then continue to have routine follow-ups. Trauma can be very tricky when it comes to teeth. Even a bump that doesn't chip a tooth can cause the nerve to die which would require a There are a lot of different ways a tooth can be damaged. The tooth can be avulsed, which is when it completely root canal, The nerve can start resorbing comes out of the mouth. If this happens the inside of the tooth and cause pain to an adult tooth it's extremely important and abscess, even 40 years later! Having to get the tooth back in the mouth ASAP. If this were to happen to a baby tooth, although scary, it's not something we would put back in the mouth. There are an initial xray and exam right after the trauma to have a baseline is very important to help monitor changes that could occur even many years later. Ask a Health Professional Each week health professionals give their educated opinions on relatable health questions. We believe that knowledge is powerl 2012 10th Street 906-352-4100 www.lacannefamilydental.com LoCanne Dr. Tracy La Canne, DDS FANTLYOENTAL Question: We are getting into baseball/soccer season, and I'm worried about what to do if my child were to get a ball to the face. Any suggestions? First and foremost, like different storage mediums to keep the tooth in if you don't feel comfortable to try and putting it back in yourself. The best is a problem "Save-a-Tooth', which contains a salt before it happens. So, solution to help keep the tooth safe. Next best optionsare either milk orthe person's own saliva. Water is the very last resort. There have been multiple studies that show if a tooth is left out of the mouth for over an hour, the likely-hood of it being able to be saved is greatly reduced. everything in dentistry we want PREVENT getting your child a mouthguard to wear is definitely beneficial. Unless they have all of their adult teeth (age 12 and older usually) it's easier to just buy an over-the- counter sports guard because it will most likely only be used for one season. Then they'll lose a few teeth and you will need to make a new one. If they do have all of position, which again, getting it put their adult teeth, getting one fabricated at your dentist office is a good option. They tend to be smaller and more comfortable than the OTC ones. Other preventative measures that most teams take now are Depending on the size of the chip the face shields on helmets, which is a great A tooth can get pushed into a different back in the proper position ASAP is important. A tooth can also chip or break. treatment could range from a filling to a root canal, a crown or even eventual addition. removal of the tooth. If your child is unfortunately hit with a ball or a bat it's important to see your dentist ASAP. Obviously, if there is soft tissue damage-a cut lip, check, etc.-you may need to be seen at the ER or urgent care first to get stitches. The biggest thing to remember is no matter how small the trauma may seem; you should always get it looked at by a dentist ASAP and then continue to have routine follow-ups. Trauma can be very tricky when it comes to teeth. Even a bump that doesn't chip a tooth can cause the nerve to die which would require a There are a lot of different ways a tooth can be damaged. The tooth can be avulsed, which is when it completely root canal, The nerve can start resorbing comes out of the mouth. If this happens the inside of the tooth and cause pain to an adult tooth it's extremely important and abscess, even 40 years later! Having to get the tooth back in the mouth ASAP. If this were to happen to a baby tooth, although scary, it's not something we would put back in the mouth. There are an initial xray and exam right after the trauma to have a baseline is very important to help monitor changes that could occur even many years later.