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Teeth Injury PDF Print E-mail

A dislodged baby tooth can't be replaced and does not need to be put back in. On the other hand, a permanent tooth, which is more sharply defined than a baby tooth, can often be saved if prompt action is taken and the tooth is handled carefully. A permanent tooth has the best chance of survival if replaced within 30 minutes.

 

What to Do:

When a baby or toddler injures gums or teeth:

  • If there's bleeding, put cold water on a piece of gauze and apply pressure to the site.
  • To reduce swelling, offer the child an ice pop to suck.
  • Call a dentist. He or she will probably want to see the child to assess the need for realignment or removal of a very loose tooth. If the child is very young, the dentist may recommend a spacer to keep the rest of the teeth in place until the permanent tooth appears.
  • Over the following week, watch for signs of an abscess such as fever and swollen, tender gums next to the injury site.

If a permanent tooth is chipped or broken:

  • Collect all the pieces of the tooth.
  • Rinse the damaged area of the mouth with warm water.
  • Give the child a cold compress to hold on the injured tooth.
  • See a dentist right away.

If a permanent tooth is knocked out:

  • Hold the tooth by the crown (the top), not the root.
  • Rinse the tooth immediately with saline solution or milk. (Tap water should be used only as a last resort; it contains chlorine, which may damage the root.) Do not scrub the tooth.
  • The best place to preserve the tooth on the way to the dentist is in its socket. If your child is old enough and mature enough not to swallow it, replace it gently, then have the child bite down on a gauze pad to keep it in place.
  • If the tooth can't be reinserted, put it in milk - a good preservative because its chemical makeup is compatible with teeth. If milk isn't available, place it inside your own mouth, between your cheek and lower gum.
  • Give the child a gauze pad or handkerchief to bite down on, which will help lessen bleeding and ease the pain.
  • See a dentist right away or visit a local children's hospital - most also have dental services for children.

Heat Exhaustion:

Our bodies create a tremendous amount of internal heat. We normally cool ourselves by sweating and radiating heat through our skin. Under certain circumstances, such as unusually high temperatures, high humidity, or vigorous exercise in hot weather, this natural cooling system may begin to fail, allowing internal heat to build up to dangerous levels. The result may be heat illness, which can come in the form of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke.

 

Heat Cramps

Heat cramps are brief, severe cramps in the muscles of the legs, arms, or abdomen that may occur during or after vigorous exercise in extreme heat. The sweating that occurs with vigorous exercise causes the body to lose salts and fluids. And the low level of salts causes the muscles to cramp. Children are particularly susceptible to heat cramps when they haven't been drinking enough fluids. Although painful, heat cramps aren't serious.

 

What to Do:

Most heat cramps don't require special treatment. A cool place, rest, and fluids should ease your child's discomfort. Massaging cramped muscles may also help.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is a more severe heat illness that can occur when a person in a hot climate or environment hasn't been drinking enough fluids. Symptoms may include:

  • fatigue
  • weakness
  • clammy skin
  • headache
  • nausea and/or vomiting
  • hyperventilation (rapid breathing)
  • irritability

What to Do:

  • Bring your child indoors or into the shade.
  • Loosen or remove your child's clothing.
  • Encourage your child to eat and drink.
  • Give your child a bath in cool (not cold) water.
  • Call your child's doctor for further advice. If your child is too exhausted or ill to eat or drink, intravenous fluids may be necessary.

If left untreated, heat exhaustion may escalate into heatstroke, which can be fatal.

 

Heatstroke

The most severe form of heat illness, heatstroke is a life-threatening medical emergency. The body loses its ability to regulate its own temperature. Body temperature can soar to 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41.1 degrees Celsius) or even higher, leading to brain damage or even death if it isn't quickly treated. Prompt medical treatment is required to bring the body temperature under control.

Factors that increase the risk for heatstroke include overdressing and extreme physical exertion in hot weather with inadequate fluid intake.

Heatstroke can also happen when a child is left in, or becomes accidentally trapped in, a car on a hot day. When the outside temperature is 93 degrees Fahrenheit (33.9 degrees Celsius), the temperature inside a car can reach 125 degrees Fahrenheit (51.7 degrees Celsius) in just 20 minutes, quickly raising a child's body temperature to dangerous levels.

 

What to Do:

Call for emergency medical help if your child has been outside in the sun exercising for a long time and shows one or more of the following symptoms of heatstroke:

  • flushed, hot, dry skin with no sweating
  • temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6 degrees Celsius) or higher
  • severe, throbbing headache
  • weakness, dizziness, or confusion
  • sluggishness or fatigue
  • decreased responsiveness
  • loss of consciousness
 
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