Here are some tips to help you and your loved ones avoid oral injuries.
Good oral health and a strong set of teeth are essential for all age groups. Oral injuries can be painful and uncomfortable. They can also cause long-term damage if left untreated. Here are some tips to help you and your loved ones avoid oral injuries.
For Small Children
You can do several things to prevent dental injuries for small children. First, be careful while feeding your baby. Use only gentle utensils which will not tear the baby’s skin between the gums and the lips. Also, ensuring your young child is properly buckled in the car, carrier, swing, walker, stroller, and other seated toys will help prevent dental injuries. Finally, do not leave your baby unattended on a tabletop or tall surface. They may fall and sustain oral injuries. Falls are a significant cause of injuries from birth until age 19. According to official records, around 8,000 children in the US are admitted to emergency rooms daily for fall-related injuries.
Children between 18 months to 4 years of age experience dental trauma due to falls. This is mainly because they learn to walk and run during this time. Parents can prevent falls by keeping an eye on their children. Moreover, they can ask toddlers to sit down while drinking from a bottle or a sippy cup. They can see that the baby does not roam about with things in its mouth because the child may bump into something and get injured.
If your child falls and a baby’s tooth is knocked out, visit a pediatric dentist. The baby teeth maintain the space and create a path for the adult teeth to grow. If a baby tooth is lost prematurely, the dentist will take measures to maintain the space for the adult tooth to grow in its place.
For Older Children
Official records show that children aged are susceptible to dental injuries. Fractured teeth are very common among them. Boys are more likely to get hurt than girls. Typically, injuries occur due to playing sports. Sports accidents cause around 10% to 39% of dental injuries in children.
Sports like baseball, soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball, gymnastics, and wrestling can cause dental injuries. Statistics show that most injuries in 7-17-year-olds occur while playing baseball and basketbaMostr of children between 7 and 12 years of age sustain oral injuries in baseball. Those between 13-17 years sustain the highest number of dental injuries in basketball. So children who play these games should wear protective face gear.
Besides this, children may get hurt while skateboarding, skating, or bicycling. They should wear mouthguards to save them from orofacial trauma caused due to a fall, contact with some hard surface, contact with sports equipment, or a collision.
Pediatric Dentist St. Louis
Your child’s initial oral examination will include a visual examination, charting, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations. We work hard to make your child feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere.
