Dental accident – a tooth guard can help

Children and teenagers like to romp around or play sports. The fact that they fall thereby and hurt themselves the teeth, does not remain out of the question. Around one in two 16-year-olds has already suffered a dental accident. But adults are also affected.

The range of possible injuries extends from uncomplicated cracks in the enamel to completely knocked-out teeth with jaw fractures.

The upper central incisors, i.e. the teeth in the visible area, are affected 70 percent of the time. Mouthguards can significantly minimize the risk of accidents, but they have by no means arrived in every sport at risk.

Dental accident – In many cases, the tooth can be saved

But this requires rapid action. Every minute counts.

1. Reassure the injured person (the child) and look carefully in the mouth by lifting the lip.

2. The wound can bleed heavily. Apply pressure to the bleeding area with a cloth handkerchief or sterile dressing material and cool it from the outside.

3. If the teeth are loose, do not wiggle them further, but leave the teeth alone.

4. Search for knocked out teeth or parts of teeth. Only touch the tooth crown, not the tooth root. Do not clean the tooth even if it is dirty.

5. Keep the tooth as moist as possible during transport. There is for it the so-called tooth rescue box, which is available in pharmacies. In many schools and kindergartens, as well as in sports clubs and swimming pools, dental rescue boxes are sometimes available.

6. If the tooth is placed in the special nutrient medium after 20 minutes at the latest, the sensitive, living cells of the root membrane can survive for up to 48 hours.

7. If you don’t have a rescue box at hand, you can put the tooth in cold UHT milk; alternatively, cling film, saliva in a container or an isotonic saline solution are possible. However, in this case the successful storage period and thus the chances of recovery are lower.

8. Important: Under no circumstances place the tooth in water, a damp handkerchief or in the mouth and do not transport dry.

9. Immediately visit a dental clinic or a dentist’s office.

10. The dentist will examine the teeth in detail and take care of them accordingly.

It documents all the facts in the patient’s file. This is important for possible insurance claims, depending on whether z.B. in case of an accident at school or at work, as well as for late consequences and the associated treatments.

11. If you have questions for primary care providers, there is a nationwide, toll-free dental accident emergency number: 01805 012800

12. At www.dentalaccident24.de shows where tooth rescue boxes are available (except pharmacies).

Dentists try to save teeth in the event of a dental accident

There are few treatment alternatives for the loss of milk teeth. The dentist often uses dentures as placeholders for the permanent teeth. Basically, dentists try to preserve the teeth first and foremost. In this way, years of follow-up treatment, consequences such as speech disorders and the associated high follow-up costs can be avoided.